ISEAS Perspective 2024/93:  Thaksin Is Sinking Into A Dangerous Legal Quagmire

By Termsak Chalermpalanupap for ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore, Nov 8, 2024

Excerpt…

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Two-time former prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, is sinking into a dangerous legal quagmire, chiefly of his own making.

• He has been accused of faking critical illness to avoid prison and to spend the first half of his one-year jail term in a premium ward of the Police Hospital under mysterious circumstances.

• The Corrections Department has been implicated in assisting Thaksin in relocating him to the hospital without the Court’s permission. If found guilty, the Department, its senior officials as well as the Justice Minister could be held accountable, and Thaksin could be sent back to jail to serve the one-year jail term for real this time.

• Thaksin has also been accused of interfering in the political affairs of Pheu Thai, the lead government party headed by his daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

• Worse, he has also been accused of controlling, dominating or guiding his daughter’s premiership. If he is found guilty, Thaksin will face a jail term of up to 10 years, Paetongtarn will lose her premiership, and her party will be dissolved.

• To end the political crisis before it gets out of control, Paetongtarn could dissolve the House and call an early general election next year.

Read the full paper https://www.iseas.edu.sg/articles-commentaries/iseas-perspective/2024-93-thaksin-is-sinking-into-a-dangerous-legal-quagmire-by-termsak-chalermpalanupap/