14-11-2024 (BANGKOK) A parliamentary committee is set to question former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra regarding allegations of preferential treatment during his six-month stay at the Police General Hospital (PGH), marking a new chapter in the ongoing scrutiny of his brief return to custody.
The House committee on state security, border affairs, national strategy and reform, under the chairmanship of People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome, has scheduled a comprehensive hearing for 22 November. The investigation comes amid mounting concerns over apparent irregularities in Thaksin’s medical detention.
Among those summoned alongside the former premier are Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong, corrections chief Sahakarn Petchnarin, and PGH director Pol Lt Gen Taweesilp Wechawitarn. Medical specialists and senior police officials are also expected to provide testimony.
The committee’s initial findings from their 12 November meeting have raised significant questions about the standard of care and documentation. Sources close to the investigation report a troubling lack of consistency between typical prisoner treatment protocols and Thaksin’s case, particularly regarding medical records and surveillance footage.
Pol Lt Gen Piya Tawichai, speaking for the Palang Pracharath Party, highlighted potentially serious consequences for officials involved if investigations confirm unauthorised privileges during Thaksin’s stay on the hospital’s VIP floor. Of particular concern is the reported malfunction of all CCTV cameras on the 14th floor, alongside the absence of crucial medical documentation.
The case has drawn additional scrutiny from the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), focusing on the circumstances surrounding Thaksin’s extended hospital stay. The timeline of events has raised eyebrows across Thailand’s political spectrum, beginning with his return from 15 years of self-imposed exile on 22 August.
On the day of his return, Thaksin received an eight-year prison sentence from the Supreme Court for abuse of power and conflicts of interest dating back to his premiership before 2006. While this sentence was later reduced to one year through royal pardon, questions persist about his immediate transfer to PGH following a single night at Bangkok Remand Prison.
Thaksin’s subsequent release on parole, having spent his entire detention period in hospital rather than prison, has intensified debate about potential preferential treatment. The upcoming committee hearing is expected to shed light on the decision-making process behind his hospital stay and the monitoring protocols – or lack thereof – during his detention.
