The Supreme Court has ordered former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to spend one year in prison, ruling that his previous hospital detention was not in accordance with Department of Corrections regulations.

The Court stated that Thaksin’s hospital stay was considered unlawful and determined that Thaksin’s time in hospital did not count as time served. He will serve his term at the Bangkok Remand Prison.

After the verdict was reached, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, former PM and Thaksin’s youngest daughter, told the media that her family is profoundly grateful for the King’s compassion in granting a royal pardon that reduced her father’s sentence to only one year.

She revealed that the Shinawatra family is concerned about Thaksin but also proud of him for the beneficial policies he has launched for the country. Paetongtarn also added that her father will be the first Thai PM to be imprisoned. However, she said her family and the Pheu Thai Party will continue to serve the people as an opposition party.

In a  Facebook post by his working team, Thaksin said that he accepted the Court’s verdict and was willing to comply with the procedure.

He said that during his tenure as PM from 2001 to 2006, he attempted to push every policy to improve people’s quality of life, transform Thailand’s political landscape so that political parties could compete through policies, and build an edible democracy.

Thaksin remarked that this remains his greatest pride as an elected politician.

He asserted that although all cases against him be brought after the 2006 coup, he will look forward and let everything settle down, whether it be legal proceedings against him or conflicts involving him.

“From today, even though I lose my freedom, I still have freedom of thought to benefit the nation and the people. I will maintain both my physical and mental strength to spend the rest of my life serving the monarchy, Thailand and the Thai people, no matter what my status, from now on”, noted Thailand’s 23nd PM. 

After returning home in August 2023 after 15 years in exile, he was immediately detained to serve a sentence of eight years in prison for corruption and malfeasance for which he had already been convicted. Following a royal pardon, His sentence was reduced to one year on the grounds that he respected the judicial process and accepted his sentence, and because of his old age and need for medical care.

Thaksin never spent a day behind bars due to his alleged illness. Instead, he served his time in the Police Hospital after a diagnosis of tightness in the chest, high blood pressure and low oxygen levels.

This hospitalisation led to another legal proceeding against him. Critics allege that he faked illness to escape being imprisoned like normal detainees.

After hearing the testimonies of seven witnesses, the Medical Council of Thailand suspended two doctors who treated Thaksin during his hospital stay, ruling that they provided inaccurate information about Thaksin’s alleged illnesses.

The Supreme Court verdict against Thaksin adds to the political turmoil which has seen another PM from the Shinawatra family member Paetongtarn ousted by the Constitutional Court over the leaked call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen.