26-7-2023 (BANGKOK) The Corrections Department chief, Ayut Sinthoppan, assured that if fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra returns to Thailand on August 10 as planned, he would be treated as an elderly prisoner and provided with any necessary medical care.
Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtharn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra, announced on Instagram that her father would arrive at Don Mueang airport on the said date, expressing his willingness to engage with the justice process.
Upon Thaksin’s arrival at Don Mueang, immigration police would be present to record his arrest, as stated by Mr. Ayut. The Corrections Department officials would adhere to any court warrant orders and be present at the court where the arrest warrant was issued. Depending on the charges’ jurisdiction, he would be taken to Bangkok Remand Prison if the court ordered his detention in Bangkok.
As of now, the department has not received any court warrant pertaining to Thaksin.
The chief confirmed that Thaksin, if imprisoned, would be treated as an elderly inmate and receive medical attention if required, based on advice from a prison doctor. He would also be placed in quarantine at the prison hospital for a 10-day period to undergo Covid-19 testing before being transferred to a prison patient ward, a procedure similar to that of former Department of Special Investigation chief Tarit Pengdit.
The timeframe for medical treatment was not specified, as it would be determined by doctors at the prison who would assess Thaksin’s condition.
Mr. Ayut denied reports suggesting that caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Kreu-ngam, acting as justice minister, had coordinated with the department regarding Thaksin’s return. He clarified that Mr. Wissanu had not been in contact with him.
Thaksin Shinawatra’s government was overthrown in a military coup on September 19, 2006, while he was abroad. Since then, he has been in self-exile, residing in Dubai, with the exception of a brief visit to Thailand in 2008.
During his absence, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced him to a total of 12 years in prison in four separate cases.
In the first case, he was found guilty of abuse of power in relation to his then-wife Khunying Potjaman’s acquisition of state-owned land in the Ratchadapisek area at a price below market value. He received a two-year prison sentence in October 2008, with the statute of limitations on the court ruling expiring in October 2018.
In the second case, Thaksin was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of malfeasance in a case concerning the two- and three-digit lottery.
In the third case, he received a three-year prison sentence for misusing his position by authorizing loans amounting to 4 billion baht to Myanmar through the Export-Import Bank of Thailand. These loans were utilized to purchase equipment from a telecoms firm owned by his family.
The fourth case resulted in a five-year prison sentence, with the court determining him guilty of using nominees to hold shares in a telecommunications company, Shin Corp, which is prohibited for any political office holder.
