Thailand's convicted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been released on parole.
The billionaire was freed from a police
hospital, where he had been serving a one-year jail sentence for corruption and
abuse of power.
Thaksin, 74, was detained as soon as he
returned to Thailand last August from 15 years in self-imposed exile.
He did not spend a single night in jail
after complaining of health problems
Thaksin's original eight-year prison term
was commuted to one year by Thailand's king - just days after he returned from
exile.
The handling of the case has led to
criticism from many Thais, who say the rich and powerful are often given
privileged treatment.
"Thailand needs a democratic system
where the rule of law and justice system is applied in the same way for
everyone, without double standards... for privileged people," Thailand's
Move Forward Party, which won a majority of seats at the last election but was
blocked from government by the Senate, said in a statement.
"Very sick? Parole? What
disease?" Senator Somchai Swangkarn said’’
On Sunday, Thaksin was seen being driven
away from the police hospital in the capital, where he had spent the last six
months.
"Congratulations to PM Thaksin on
returning home to Chansongla this morning," government adviser and former
energy minister Pichai Naripthapan posted on social media following his
release.
"I hope he will have good health and
much happiness and warmth from his beloved family," he said.
Thai authorities said Thaksin was eligible
for parole due to his age and health issues.
They did not say whether he was released
under certain conditions such as monitoring or travel curbs.
Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin
told local reporters he had no plans to meet Thaksin yet, but that
"everyone in the government is ready to listen" if Thaksin wanted to
provide political advice.
Thaksin, Thailand's most successful elected
leader, has long been feared by conservative royalists, who have backed
military coups and contentious court cases to weaken him.
He left the country in 2008 after being
deposed by a coup two years earlier. He spent his exile years mostly in London
or Dubai.
His family's Pheu Thai party is currently
in power in Thailand.
The former telecoms magnate remains one of
the most divisive public figures in the country: loathed by many of Bangkok's
rich elite but adored by millions of poor rural Thais for his populist
policies.
Thaksin was the first prime minister in
Thailand's history to lead an elected government through a full term in office
in 2001-06.
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