25-8-2023 (BANGKOK) Thailand’s former prime minister and billionaire, Thaksin Shinawatra, continued to receive medical treatment in a hospital as of Friday, and his condition remained a cause for concern, according to a senior doctor. This development occurred three days after his historic return from self-imposed exile.
Thaksin, aged 74, was hospitalized after experiencing chest tightness and high blood pressure on his first night in prison, where he had been sentenced to serve eight years for conflicts of interest and abuse of power.
Soponrat Singhajaru, a senior doctor at Bangkok’s police hospital, informed reporters that Thaksin was still coughing, and specialists expressed ongoing concerns after examining his lung X-rays, heart, and lungs. However, he refrained from providing further details due to patient confidentiality.
Thailand’s most renowned politician arrived via a private jet to enthusiastic crowds on Tuesday. Subsequently, he was taken to a court, then a prison, and, just hours later, to a hospital. These dramatic events overshadowed the appointment of his political ally, Srettha Thavisin, as prime minister on the same day.
The Pheu Thai Party, founded by Thaksin, is set to lead the next government. Speculation has arisen that his return might be part of a clandestine agreement with his rivals, an allegation he has denied.
Critics have voiced concerns that Thaksin is receiving preferential treatment, a claim refuted by the hospital. On Friday, anti-Thaksin activist Tul Sittisomwong lodged a complaint with the hospital, questioning whether the tycoon’s illness was genuine or if he was attempting to evade prison. Tul has also requested that external physicians examine Thaksin.
Photographs of the hospital’s views of the Bangkok skyline and nearby golf course have circulated widely on social media.
Soponrat, the hospital’s doctor, clarified, “All the rooms at the police hospital have this view. Let’s focus on giving treatment. That is our responsibility.”
Despite spending a total of 17 years living abroad, primarily in Dubai and Britain, since his ousting in a 2006 coup, Thaksin has remained a dominant figure in Thai politics. Parties loyal to him had consistently won elections in the past two decades until this year.
However, his popularity and assertive persona clashed with Thailand’s influential network of wealthy elites and royalist generals, triggering an enduring power struggle.
