Thaksin Shinawatra: From exile to release, rise and fall of Thailand's billionaire ex-Prime Minister

Thaksin Shinawatra: From exile to release, rise and fall of Thailand’s billionaire ex-Prime Minister

NEW DELHI: Thailand’s billionaire ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who was in detention for the past six months, was spotted leaving a hospital reportedly released on parole later confirmed by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Thaksin, 74, returns to the country after nearly 16 years in exile to evade jail, marking a career involving electoral success, a military coup, self-exile, and criminal charges.

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Here are some of the key moments in the 74-year-old billionaire’s career over the past two decades.

• Thaksin Shinawatra was born in Chiang Mai in 1949 to a family of Chinese descent. He pursued higher education in the United States, earning a master’s degree in criminal justice from Eastern Kentucky University.

• Initially working at a Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet, he later joined Thailand’s police force, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

• Thaksin ventured into various business sectors, experiencing both failures and successes. In the 1980s, he found success leasing computers to the police, which paved the way for ventures in telecommunications, including satellites and a cellphone company.

• Thaksin entered politics and founded the Thai Rak Thai party, emphasizing populist policies aimed at improving the welfare of the working class.

• His leadership led to electoral victories in multiple parliamentary elections, where he secured a strong mandate. During his tenure as Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006.

• Thaksin implemented various social welfare programs, including cheap micro loans, utility subsidies, cash handouts, and universal healthcare. However, his administration was marred by allegations of corruption and authoritarian tendencies.

• Faced with mounting legal challenges and political opposition, Thaksin fled Thailand in 2008 and was later convicted in absentia on corruption charges.

• Thaksin, despite his exile remained politically active and mobilized supporters through the “red shirt” protest movement and demonstrations which aimed at challenging the established order and advocating for Thaksin’s return.

• Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, served as Prime Minister but was accused of being a puppet for her brother and was ousted in a 2014 coup.

• Despite setbacks, Thaksin’s family maintains influence in Thai politics, with Thaksin’s daughter playing a key role in the Pheu Thai party.

• Thaksin made headlines in 2023 when he returned to Thailand, marking his first public appearance in years. However, his homecoming was short-lived as he was promptly sentenced to jail for past convictions.

• Thaksin received a reduced sentence due to his age and health concerns, his legal battles continue to cast a shadow over his political ambitions and legacy.

• Despite his release from prison after six months, Thaksin’s political future remains uncertain. While he enjoys support from segments of the population, particularly among the urban and rural poor.

• As Thaksin returned to Thailand on the day Pheu Thai’s PM candidate was approved by parliament he faced immediate legal challenges, with a court sentencing him to eight years in jail for convictions passed in his absence. The king swiftly reduced his sentence to one year.

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