Thai Department of Corrections announces former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's complete release following a royal pardon, ending his parole requirements and all criminal punishments.
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is officially a free man, less than a week after receiving a royal pardon, the Department of Corrections said on Tuesday.
Thaksin, 76, served eight months of a one-year sentence for corruption and abuse of power before being released on parole last month due to his age and health. The Department of Corrections said the former premier was required to wear an electronic monitoring device as a condition of his release. The telecoms billionaire was among those eligible for a royal pardon on June 3, Queen Suthida's birthday, because he had less than one year remaining on his sentence.
The corrections department said on Tuesday that Thaksin's electronic monitoring device had been removed.
"The prison issued the official release documents and certificate of discharge to Thaksin," it said in a statement. It said Thaksin was "no longer subject to criminal punishment, supervision or related conditions", noting that the same standards were applied to other eligible parolees. Thailand regularly grants royal pardons to prisoners with good conduct to mark major royal occasions, including the birthdays of the king and queen.
Thaksin is one of the most influential figures in modern Thai politics and served two terms as prime minister. His second term was cut short by a military coup in 2006, after which he spent more than a decade in self-imposed exile, largely in Dubai, before returning to Thailand in 2023. Thai media reported that Thaksin was expected to travel to Dubai this month, although no reason for the trip has been disclosed.
His Pheu Thai Party and its predecessors have been among Thailand's most successful political movements of the 21st century. The Shinawatra family has produced four prime ministers and has long enjoyed strong support among rural voters.
However, Pheu Thai recorded its worst election result in February, falling to third place and raising questions about the future of Thaksin's political influence. In a broader context, Thaksin's release and the removal of his monitoring device mark the conclusion of a high-profile legal saga that has divided Thai society for nearly two decades.
His return from exile in 2023 was seen as a potential turning point for Thai politics, but his party's recent electoral setback suggests his personal brand may be waning. The royal pardon, granted on the queen's birthday, follows a tradition of using clemency to reinforce the monarchy's role as a unifying force. Critics argue that such pardons can undermine the rule of law, especially in cases involving powerful figures.
Meanwhile, Thaksin's anticipated trip to Dubai has sparked speculation about whether he will adopt a less visible role or continue to influence politics from abroad. Observers note that his legacy remains contested, with supporters viewing him as a champion of the poor and opponents accusing him of corruption and authoritarian tendencies. His family's continued dominance in Thai politics, despite the recent electoral decline, underscores the enduring polarization between urban elites and rural constituencies that has defined Thai democracy for years.
The removal of his electronic bracelet symbolizes a formal end to state supervision, but the political and social ramifications of his case are likely to linger, as Thailand grapples with questions of accountability, monarchy-military relations, and the future of populist movements in Southeast Asia
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