Thailand’s Supreme Court ruled that hospital stay does not count as time served for the ex-prime minister.
The court released its ruling on Tuesday following a review to determine whether Thaksin’s stay in a private room of a police hospital from 2023 to early 2024 counted as time served towards an earlier prison sentence.
Recommended Stories
a list of 4 items will follow
Thaksin, 76, was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment in 2023 for fraud and abuse of power following his unexpected return to Thailand after 15 years in exile.
His sentence was later reduced to one year by the king, and he was released early, ostensibly due to his age.
Despite the severity of the charges, the former prime minister never actually spent time in prison and remained hospitalized due to health concerns.
“Of all the available options, be it complete release or home arrest, this sentence is the least favorable,” said Al Jazeera correspondent Tony Cheng from Bangkok.
Cheng added that the verdict would not come as a surprise to many Thais who have been following the case.
“It is notable that people are disappointed he did not serve any actual time in jail. This ruling will likely be viewed as a fair and just sentence for the crimes he was found guilty of during his period in government,” he observed.
This is a breaking news report, and further updates will be provided.
