Thailand's former prime minister jailed after return from exile | DW News

Former Prime Mistister Thaksin Shinawat is sentenced on longstanding charges of corruption, which he says are politically motivated. Thaksin Shinawat has been jailed on corruption-related charges - that's after returning to Thailand from 15 years of self-imposed exile. Thaksin was convicted in absentia over several cases that he says were politically motivated. His eight-year jail term could well be shortened if he receives a royal pardon. Thaksin return comes as the current leader of the party he founded is poised to become Thailand's new prime minister.


Thaksin flew into Bangkok, where he was greeted by crowds of supporters. He was taken to the Supreme Court, which imposed a sentence of eight years from a conviction handed down while he was in exile. Thaksin rejected the charges as politically motivated. The billionaire former businessman is one of Thailand's most controversial political figures. He won two elections as prime minister, was deposed in a coup and fled Thailand in 2008.

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[haruthaiarayawong]

All show. He immediately left the prison via the back.

[MichaelLudden]

The Thai people are so hungry for hope. It is so very sad to see it constantly ripped away, viciously.

[bydeena]

After 8 hours. He out of jail. Unbelievable!!

[zdl]

Not to worry, he'll get the pardon. Otherwise, he won't be back.
His daughter might become a future PM.

[lettucesalad]

He probably paid off someone so they'll let him escape on bail again.

[louistan]

Don't fret. He didn't return to sit in jail. In any case, a PM has been elected.

[pillaigarry]

There is something fishy on his return looks though scripted and to expect some kind of twist in this political gameplay
Just imagine why would someone just want to return all of sudden from an exile and to be in jail knowingly that he won't be long behind bars as promised.

[kongthai..]

Interesting?

Really Royal pardon is in the pipeline?

😂

[jhonditch]

we have politicians jailed while in office and meet with gang members continuing illegal activities

[matthewadams]

Love the New Zealand accent of the reporter as a kiwi in Germany nice surprise 🙂😂

[Tanu____.]

country without democracy and the people have no real rights and liberties 😓

[th]

Jailed... Yeh right haha 😂. Won't even spend a night in there

[ismailjusoh]

15 years in Exile.Compared to Malaysia our former PM is still in the country facing various charges.

[ralphcornelius]

He should go to jail because he ran to another country from the crime that he committed in Thailand he should go to jail,

[ArabicReja]

Former PM Thaksin will be pardoned and released soon when
- Phieu Thai is in power, and
- the dictator and China lackey Prayut is gone.

[ras]

This just takes attention away from the fact that the elected party is not allowed.

[lastChang]

A return of former PM Thaksin is a win for Thai 🇹🇭 people and a loss for the Chinese regime.

[studioashlan]

Corruption charges pardoned by Thai Dynasty.
But corruption is taking the treasury money of the Country and in first place Dynasty ignored it or was deceived or was part of it????

How the dynasty will pardon such crime.
When it was known then that money should have been given back with interest if not interested in jail and interest includes how that money could have been spent on infrastructures that didn't take place.
And also the money with held for so long.

[sjaakkuppens]

All part of an elusive scam what Thailand nertis recognition of the people's choices as nd not being ignored the time will come when enough is enough 😢

[deggabiola]

I hope this happens in the Philippines