Royal Pardon Set to End Thaksin’s Remaining Sentence

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Bangkok: The justice minister of Thailand announced on Wednesday that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is eligible for a royal pardon, which would remove the rest of his prison term and parole requirements.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn offered the pardon as part of a royal clemency program in honour of Queen Suthida's birthday. According to officials, Thaksin is eligible for the pardon, but it won't be effective until the last administrative procedures are completed.

Thaksin, 76, was granted parole in May after completing eight months of a prison term of one year on convictions of power abuse and conflict of interest. His sentence was set to expire in September, with nearly three months left.

The former prime minister returned to Thailand in 2023 after a fifteen years of self-imposed exile. Thaksin, once one of Thailand's most powerful political personalities, has remained a key and controversial figure in Thai politics despite years of legal and political difficulties.

According to Justice Minister Rutthaphon Naowarat, the pardon will end Thaksin's remaining sentence and remove parole restrictions, including electronic monitoring requirements, once the procedure is completed.