22-9-2023 (BANGKOK) Thailand’s incarcerated former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, may assume an advisory role in the country’s new government, announced the ruling party on Friday (Sep 22), a decision likely to spark controversy among the billionaire’s critics.
Thaksin, aged 74, was overthrown in a military coup in 2006 and recently returned to Thailand, where he was promptly imprisoned for past convictions related to corruption and abuse of power.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, a member of Thaksin’s Pheu Thai party, had stated earlier this week that the two-time premier could still contribute to serving the nation.
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai expressed his support on Friday for the idea of having Thaksin as a government advisor.
“It would be beneficial because he possesses six years of experience in governance. It would serve the country’s interests,” he informed reporters at the government house. Another source within the party confirmed to AFP that the new coalition government, led by Pheu Thai, intends to seek Thaksin’s counsel once he is released from prison.
Srettha mentioned that Thaksin, known for his “Thaksinomics” policies that drove rapid economic growth in the early 2000s, could provide assistance as the government aims to achieve an annual economic growth of five percent.
“I believe he has valuable insights to offer to the government and the people of Thailand,” Srettha told Bloomberg TV during an interview at the UN General Assembly in New York. “He was, and perhaps still is, the most popular prime minister in Thai political history.”
However, Thaksin remains an immensely polarizing figure, despite being revered by millions of Thais for his efforts to improve rural incomes. Thailand’s elite, which aligns with the monarchy and supports the military, has long held animosity towards him. Consequently, Thai politics in the past two decades have been marked by the establishment’s endeavors to keep Thaksin and his allies away from power.
Shortly after his imprisonment, Thaksin was transferred to a private room at a police hospital due to his deteriorating health. According to his daughter, he underwent surgery last week.
There have been widespread rumors of a covert agreement to grant Thaksin leniency in his prison sentence in exchange for Pheu Thai’s inclusion of pro-military parties in its governing coalition.
