ISLAMABAD: Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra must serve a year in prison, in another blow to one of the country’s most powerful political dynasties.
The ruling relates to a corruption conviction that previously saw the 76-year-old sentenced to eight years in jail. But as the BBC reported, Thaksin spent less than a day behind bars before being transferred to a hospital, where he stayed in a luxury ward for months before being granted parole.
On Tuesday, judges said the hospital transfer was unlawful, declaring that Thaksin was not in a critical condition and could have been treated as an outpatient. The so-called “14th floor case” — named after the private wing where he stayed — has become a symbol for many Thais of the privileges afforded to the elite.
Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and spent years in self-imposed exile in Dubai, returned to Thailand in 2023 and was promptly convicted of corruption and abuse of power. After pleading for clemency, the king reduced his sentence to a year.
Shortly after Tuesday’s ruling, Thaksin said on social media that while he may lose his “physical freedom,” he would keep “freedom of thought for the benefit of my country and its people.” He also pledged to serve the monarchy and Thailand “with strength.”
Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who recently lost her leadership role after a leaked call with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen sparked controversy, accompanied her father to court. She told reporters she was “worried” for him but said the family remained “in good spirits.”
The ruling comes amid political upheaval. Thailand has seen three prime ministers in two years, with Anutin Charnvirakul appointed last week. Analysts say the Shinawatra family’s Pheu Thai party now faces the challenge of navigating opposition politics while managing the fallout from Thaksin’s legal troubles.
