19-8-2023 (BANGKOK) The youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra, took to social media on Saturday to announce her father’s imminent return to Thailand. Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been in self-imposed exile since a military coup removed him from power in 2006, is scheduled to arrive at Don Mueang Airport on Tuesday, August 22nd.
In a post on Instagram and X (formerly known as Twitter), Ms. Paetongtarn shared the details of her father’s homecoming. She wrote, “On Tuesday, August 22nd at 9 am, I will be at Don Mueang to welcome my father Thaksin.” She also emphasized that the planned return was not canceled but merely delayed and dismissed any claims suggesting otherwise.
อังคารที่ 22 สิงหาคม 9.00 น. ณ ดอนเมือง จะไปรับคุณพ่อทักษิณค่ะ
— Ing Shin (@ingshin) August 19, 2023
This announcement followed an earlier statement made on Thaksin’s 74th birthday, July 26th, when Ms. Paetongtarn initially revealed her father’s intention to return on August 10th. However, political observers, including Chuvit Kamolvisit and Jatuporn Prompan, expressed skepticism, casting doubts on the credibility of Thaksin’s homecoming plan. Ms. Paetongtarn swiftly responded to these doubts, dismissing Chuvit’s comments as “nonsense.”
Later, on August 5th, the fugitive former prime minister himself took to X, explaining that he was postponing his return for a couple of weeks due to a doctor’s recommendation for health checkups.
Thaksin Shinawatra, a prominent telecommunications tycoon, has spent the past years in self-imposed exile following his removal from power by a military coup on September 19, 2006. His impending return to Thailand has generated significant interest and speculation, marking a potential turning point in the country’s political landscape.
