Thailand's Former PM Shinawat Released From Prison
Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawat has been released from a prison in Bangkok after spending eight months of a one-year sentence there over a corruption-related charge.Thaksin remade and dominated Thai politics for a quarter-century, but his influence has waned of late following his jailing and his once formidable Pheu Thai Party's worst election performance on record earlier this year.Thaksin walked out of prison at about 7:40am local time (00:40 GMT) and was immediately surrounded by family members, including his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawat, who was sacked as prime minister by a court order in August last year, weeks before his imprisonment.Thaksin had served as prime minister from 2001 until a military coup toppled him in 2006, while he was abroad.After 15 years in self-exile, he returned to Thailand in 2023 to face an eight-year sentence for conflicts of interest and abuse of power relating to his time in office. That sentence had been commuted to one year by the king.But he was in prison for only a few hours following his homecoming before complaining of heart trouble and chest pains. He then spent six months in the VIP wing of a hospital until he was freed on parole.Thaksin's release could help revive his once dominant Pheu Thai, now a junior party in Anutin's coalition after a crushing electoral defeat in February, said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist.Thaksin is required to wear an electronic ankle monitor until his sentence finishes in September.Source - Al Jazeera | Reuters
