Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released from Bangkok’s Klong Prem Central Prison on Monday to complete the final four months of his one-year sentence on parole. Thaksin, aged 76, appeared in public at 7:40 a.m. local time, reuniting with his family outside the prison after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
Accompanied by his family, Thaksin paid respects to the Thai flag, thanked his supporters, and left in a car around 7:55 a.m. local time. Upon leaving, he was greeted by crowds of supporters in red shirts outside the prison compound, amid tight police security.
Thaksin was among more than 850 inmates granted early release by the Department of Corrections at a parole committee meeting last month. The decision was based on his age, over 70, and the remaining time left in his sentence, justifying his eligibility for parole.
The former prime minister is required to adhere to strict probation conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device, accepting parole supervision, reporting to authorities on time, and refraining from leaving the country until his sentence formally ends on September 9.
