September 11, 2025
BANGKOK – Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra spent his first night in jail on Tuesday without any health issues. Officials at Klong Prem Prison stated that Thaksin’s first night in custody went smoothly, with no incidents.
Thaksin was taken to Klong Prem Prison at 5:10 p.m. on Tuesday after the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Persons Holding Political Positions ruled in the morning that he must serve a one-year jail term.
Thaksin returned to Thailand on August 22, 2023, and was taken to Bangkok Remand Prison to begin serving his eight-year sentence for three corruption convictions. However, he was removed from the prison the same night due to what was cited as a critical illness. He remained at the Police General Hospital for six months before being released on parole. During his stay, he received royal clemency, which commuted his sentence from eight years to one year.
On Tuesday, the court ruled that Thaksin had faked his illness, requiring him to restart his one-year jail term from the beginning, while the six-month parole was deemed unlawful.
On Wednesday, Thaksin’s eldest daughter, Pintongta Kunakornwong Shinawatra, posted a photo on Instagram kissing her father’s cheek. She wrote that Thaksin would remain her hero, no matter what others said. She praised her father as a brave leader who always sacrificed himself for the country.
She added that the Shinawatra family understood what had happened and would stand by Thaksin to survive these difficult times together. She also thanked the family’s supporters, noting that their moral support would make the family stronger. She concluded her post with the hashtag #Yourdaughterwillalwaysremainstrong.