Thailand’s jailed ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra to be freed: justice minister

Jailed former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is to be freed, the kingdom’s justice minister said on Tuesday, possibly as soon as the weekend.

“Around 930 prisoners, including (Thaksin) will have their sentence suspended. He is in the group where they are in critical condition or aged over 70. He will be released after six months automatically,” Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong told reporters at the government house.

Thaksin, who was ousted by a 2006 military coup, is currently confined to a police hospital in Bangkok where he is serving time for convictions related to corruption and abuse of power.

He had been in self-imposed exile since 2008, but voluntarily returned to Thailand in August last year to begin a prison sentence.

In September last year, Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn commuted Thaksin’s eight- year prison sentence to 12 months.

More to come …