Thailand’s billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released from prison on parole on Monday, eight months after a court ordered him to serve the time he sought to avoid with a prolonged hospital stay.
The 76-year-old populist politician dominated Thai politics for a quarter of a century, dividing opinion throughout his time as premier and during his incarceration.
After 15 years in self-exile, Thaksin came back to Thailand in 2023 to serve an eight-year sentence for conflicts of interest and abuse of power during his tenure as prime minister from 2001–2006. He returned home the same day a party ally was elected premier by parliament.
He was then transferred to the VIP wing of a hospital after complaining of heart trouble, without spending a single night behind bars.
The Supreme Court later ruled he and his doctors had prolonged his hospital stay with minor and unnecessary surgeries, and ordered his return to prison to serve his remaining time.
His sentence was later commuted to one year by the king.
The tycoon was greeted by cheering supporters as he exited Bangkok’s Klong Prem prison with closely cropped hair.
Daughter Removed as Prime Minister
Thaksin was met by family members, including his daughter and protégé, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was removed as prime minister by a court last August, just days before he was jailed.
Asked by a reporter how he felt as he left prison, Thaksin raised his hands above his head and said he was “relieved.”
“I went to hibernate. I can’t remember anything now,” he said.
Thaksin was the driving force behind successive governments either led or controlled by the powerful Shinawatra family.
The removal of Paetongtarn, the sixth premier from or backed by the family to be toppled by courts or coups, led to the collapse of the Pheu Thai government, with Thaksin’s one-time ally Anutin Charnvirakul installed as premier just days before the tycoon was jailed.
Thaksin is required to wear an electronic ankle tag until his sentence comes to an end in September.
The politician was a telecommunications tycoon before founding his own political party in 1998.
Military Coup Triggered Unrest
He served as prime minister from 2001 until he was ousted by a military coup in 2006 while he was abroad.
The coup sparked almost two decades of deep and sometimes violent political polarization, while Thaksin’s political machine staged various comebacks even as its figurehead remained in self-imposed exile to escape what he said was political persecution through the courts.
He was charged with abuse of power over allegations including using his position to benefit his personal business interests and approving a state lottery project that led to government losses.
‘Overplayed His Hand’
His once dominant Pheu Thai Party recorded its worst-ever election performance earlier this year, while he was serving his sentence.
Thaksin’s release could help revive his party, now a junior party in Anutin’s coalition, after a resounding electoral defeat in February, according to Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political scientist at Ubon Ratchathani University.
“But he has to tread carefully,” Titipol added. “He overplayed his hand. If he stays behind the scenes, it would be better. But one has to wonder how long he can stay behind the scenes considering his personality.”
Thaksin’s daughter became the country’s youngest-ever prime minister in 2024 but was removed from office in August 2025 after a recording emerged of a phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen. She was accused of being overly conciliatory toward Hun over a border dispute.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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