Thailand’s Supreme Court has ruled that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra must go to jail for one year.
Thaksin, now 76, was previously sentenced for corruption and abuse of power. In 2023, he returned to Thailand after years in exile and was sentenced to eight years in prison. But the king later reduced this to one year. Soon after, Thaksin was moved from jail to a hospital, where he stayed for six months before getting parole. Many people criticized this, saying he received special treatment.
On Tuesday, the court said Thaksin was not in a critical medical condition and that he should have been treated as an outpatient, not kept in a hospital. The case became famous in Thailand as the “14th floor case,” because that was the hospital floor where he stayed.
Thaksin comes from a powerful political family that has influenced Thai politics since 2001. His daughter Paetongtarn was recently removed from her post after a scandal involving a leaked phone call.
Despite the ruling, Thaksin said he would remain strong, serve his country, and continue to support the monarchy. He appeared in court with his daughter, smiling and greeting supporters.
The case comes at a time of political uncertainty in Thailand. Parliament recently chose Anutan Charnvirakul as the new prime minister, the country’s third in just two years.
-Peace News Desk