15-10-2023 (BANGKOK) Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin addressed concerns surrounding the treatment of jailed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, asserting that all inmates, including Thaksin, were being treated equally by the Corrections Department. This statement came in response to recent allegations that Thaksin was receiving special privileges while in custody.
The controversy surrounding Thaksin’s treatment gained momentum with the circulation of a photo on social media. The photo depicted someone resembling Thaksin wearing a patient gown and a face mask while being transported on a gurney, flanked by individuals resembling his daughters.
Sahakan Phetnarin, director-general of the Corrections Department, confirmed the authenticity of the photo on Saturday. He revealed that the man in the image was indeed Thaksin, and he was being transferred from his hospital room to undergo a CT scan and an MRI.
According to the report from the chief of the Bangkok Remand Prison, Thaksin underwent the CT scan and MRI, which took approximately an hour. These medical examinations were conducted as per the recommendation of Thaksin’s doctors.
Mr. Sahakan assured that Thaksin’s condition was stable but refrained from divulging specific details about his health, citing confidentiality.
Thaksin Shinawatra, aged 74, returned to Thailand on August 22 after spending 15 years in self-imposed exile. On the same day, the Supreme Court sentenced him to eight years in prison for three separate cases. However, Thaksin was transferred from the Bangkok Remand Prison to the Police General Hospital on the same night due to health concerns. He has remained at the hospital since then.
Following a request for a royal pardon, His Majesty the King reduced Thaksin’s eight-year jail term to one year.
Mr. Sahakan mentioned that Thaksin’s family members were permitted to visit him in the hospital so they could stay informed about the medical treatment he was receiving. However, the department has not been informed by Thaksin’s doctors whether his stay at the Police General Hospital will be extended or if he will be transferred back to prison.
Thaksin’s current extended stay at the hospital is set to conclude on October 22. If further extension is required for medical care and treatment beyond 120 days, the matter will be reported to the justice minister.
Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew, on the other hand, denied having any specific information about Thaksin’s medical treatment but expressed confidence that the authorities were adhering to established rules and protocols.
