Thaksin officially a free man, plans Dubai trip

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra officially became a free man yesterday after receiving a royal pardon less than a week ago, according to a statement from the Corrections Department.

Thaksin, 76, served eight months of a one-year prison sentence for corruption and abuse of power before being released on parole last month due to his age and health.

As a condition of his release, he was required to wear an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet.

The department said yesterday that officials had removed the device and issued the official release documents and certificate of discharge.

It is reported that the bracelet was removed at Thaksin's residence rather than at a corrections office, as is normally the case for other eligible parolees.

He was among those eligible for a royal pardon on June 3, HM Queen Suthida's birthday, because he had less than one year remaining on his sentence.

As a result, Thaksin is no longer subject to criminal punishment, supervision or any related conditions related to the charges against him. The same standards were applied to other eligible parolees.

His youngest daughter, former prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, said last week that her father plans to travel to Dubai before the end of June.

Thairath Online reported that Thaksin's younger sister, former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, is expected to meet him in Dubai.

Yingluck left Thailand in 2017 before a court sentenced her in absentia to five years in prison over her handling of the rice-pledging programme. She has lived abroad ever since.

Thaksin also plans to travel to London, where he and his family spent part of their years in exile.