Thailand's Thaksin Shinawatra released from prison

"Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been released from a prison in Bangkok after spending eight months of a one-year sentence there over a corruption-related charge. Hundreds of people, including the 76-year-old billionaire's family and political allies, greeted him on Monday, chanting, We love Thakisn as he left the Klong Prem Central Prison."

"Thaksin walked out of prison at about 7:40am local time (00:40 GMT) and was immediately surrounded by family members, including his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was sacked as prime minister by a court order in August last year, weeks before his imprisonment. He smiled brightly as he walked around to greet his supporters, but left without speaking to reporters."

"After 15 years in self-exile, he returned to Thailand in 2023 to face an eight-year sentence for conflicts of interest and abuse of power relating to his time in office. That sentence had been commuted to one year by the king. But he was in prison for only a few hours following his homecoming before complaining of heart trouble and chest pains. He then spent six months in the VIP wing of a hospital until he was freed on parole."

"In September last year, the Supreme Court ruled that Thaksin must serve that time in prison, concluding that he and his doctors had intentionally prolonged his hospital stay with minor surgeries that were unnecessary. A Ministry of Justice panel agreed last month to grant him parole as part of a review of more than"

Thaksin Shinawatra was released from Klong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok after spending eight months of a one-year sentence tied to a corruption-related charge. Hundreds of supporters, including family members and political allies, greeted him as he left the prison, chanting in his support. He walked out at about 7:40am local time, surrounded by relatives including his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who had been removed as prime minister by court order in August. Thaksin had returned to Thailand in 2023 after years in self-exile and faced an eight-year sentence that was commuted to one year by the king. After complaining of heart trouble and chest pains, he spent time in a hospital VIP wing before being moved to prison. The Supreme Court later ruled that his hospital stay had been intentionally prolonged with unnecessary minor surgeries. A Ministry of Justice panel granted parole after reviewing his case.

Read at www.aljazeera.com