Thailand’s highest court has ordered that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra must complete a one-year jail sentence, ruling that his extended stay in hospital cannot be considered time already served. The landmark decision reignites debate over justice, privilege, and accountability in Thai politics.
Court Rejects Hospital Stay as Sentence
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court reviewed whether Thaksin’s placement in a private room at a police hospital between 2023 and early 2024 should be deducted from his prison term. Judges concluded that such a stay did not qualify as incarceration and instructed that he must now serve the remainder of his sentence in prison, reported Al Jazeera.
Thaksin, 76, was handed an eight-year sentence in 2023 on charges of corruption and abuse of power, following his surprise return from 15 years of self-imposed exile. The punishment was later reduced to a single year by royal pardon, after which he was released early due to his age. Despite the ruling, the former premier has never actually spent a day inside a prison cell, instead residing in a hospital citing health issues.
Public Reactions and Political Implications
The ruling has been described as a pivotal moment for Thailand’s political landscape. Tony Cheng, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Bangkok, observed: “Of all the options that were on the table, either complete release or some form of home arrest, this is the worst option. People were quite disappointed he spent all that time in police hospital; he didn’t even end up serving a night in jail in the end. I think this will be seen as some kind of justifiable sentence for the crimes that many people feel that he was guilty of during his time in power.”
A Watershed for Thai Politics
By rejecting the hospital stay as equivalent to imprisonment, the Supreme Court has set a precedent that may influence how future cases involving influential figures are handled. For many Thais, the decision represents a symbolic moment of accountability after years of speculation over whether Thaksin would face genuine punishment for his convictions.
