Thaksin Shinawatra Returns to Prison in Stunning Political Downfall

BANGKOK, Sept 9 (VoM): Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, once the country’s most dominant and controversial political figure, was ordered back to prison on Tuesday after the Supreme Court ruled his previous release was unlawful.

The 76-year-old billionaire, dressed in a dark suit with a yellow tie, arrived at the court in a luxury Mercedes Maybach but departed in a prison van with his shirt collar open and sleeves rolled up, symbolizing the dramatic fall from power of a man who reshaped Thai politics for over two decades.

“I humbly accept and am ready to enter the judicial process after today’s verdict,” Thaksin said in a statement. “Even as I lose my freedom today, I still have the freedom of thought to benefit the country and the people.”

Thaksin’s jailing comes just weeks after his daughter and political heir, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was removed as prime minister by the Constitutional Court. The family’s Pheu Thai party has since lost ground to its former coalition partners, further weakening the Shinawatra political dynasty.

“This is quite heavy,” Paetongtarn told reporters after the ruling, visibly emotional. “I and my family are concerned about my father.”

Thaksin, who first became prime minister in 2001 on the back of sweeping populist policies dubbed “Thaksinomics,” was ousted by a military coup in 2006. He spent 15 years in self-exile before returning dramatically in August 2023, only to be sent straight to prison on charges of abuse of power and conflicts of interest.

Although initially sentenced to eight years, his punishment was reduced to one year by royal pardon. He spent just six months in a hospital VIP ward, citing health problems, before being released on parole. The Supreme Court has now ruled that stay unlawful, sending him back behind bars.

Analysts say the verdict marks the lowest point in Thaksin’s career.
“He won’t be a decisive figure like in the past,” said Titipol Phakdeewanich, a political science professor at Ubon Ratchathani University. “This doesn’t mean he will disappear 100%, but a comeback will be very difficult.”

Thaksin remains the first former Thai prime minister to actually serve jail time. Despite his enduring popularity among rural and working-class voters, the Shinawatra name has faced relentless challenges from Thailand’s powerful conservative establishment, leading to repeated ousters of Shinawatra-linked leaders.

“He was once a political juggernaut,” said Thitinan Pongsudhirak of Chulalongkorn University. “But after years of battles, the establishment has outlasted him.”

For a man who once bestrode Thai politics like few others, Tuesday’s ruling may mark the definitive end of Thaksin Shinawatra’s era.