Thailand’s top court has ruled that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra must serve a year in jail, in yet another blow to the influential political dynasty.
The decision relates to a previous case where he was sentenced to years in prison for corruption, but ended up spending less than a day in a jail cell as he was moved to a hospital.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that this transfer was unlawful – and that the 76-year-old would have to serve his sentence in jail.
Thaksin and his family have dominated Thai politics since he was first elected PM in 2001. His daughter Paetongtarn previously served as leader but was removed from office last month over a leaked phone call.
Shortly after the ruling was announced, Thaksin released a statement on social media stating that “even though I lose my physical freedom, I will still have freedom of thought for the benefit of my country and its people”.
He also vowed to maintain his strength to serve the monarchy, Thailand and its people.
The former PM was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and spent years living in self-imposed exile, mostly in Dubai.
When he returned to Thailand in 2023, he was promptly tried and found guilty of corruption and abuse of power during his time in office and sentenced to eight years in prison.
Following Thaksin’s plea for a royal pardon, the Thai king commuted his sentence to one year.
But Thaksin spent only hours in a jail cell before he complained of heart issues – and was later moved to a luxury wing of Thailand’s Police General Hospital.
He stayed there for six months, then received parole and moved to his home in Bangkok.
On Tuesday, a Supreme Court judge said in a statement that Thaksin “knew or could perceive that he was not in a critical or emergency condition”.
The judge added that he had underlying chronic medical conditions but could have been treated as an outpatient.
The “14th floor case”, as it is known in Thailand because of the hospital floor he stayed at, had gripped many Thais who were watching to see if the PM would end up serving time in prison.
The handling of the case has led to criticism from many Thais, who say the rich and powerful are often given privileged treatment.
Prior to Tuesday’s ruling there was intense scrutiny over Thaksin’s whereabouts.
Last week he flew out of Thailand in a private jet to Dubai, where he said he was seeking medical treatment. He said on social media that he intended to fly back for Tuesday’s court hearing.
He showed up in court in Bangkok on Tuesday morning with Paetongtarn, smiling and greeting the media and a group of supporters. Thaksin was wearing a suit with a yellow tie, the colour associated with Thailand’s monarchy.
Paetongtarn told reporters after the ruling that she was “worried” for her father but that he and their family were in “good spirits”.
She also said she would take the family’s Pheu Thai party forward in their work as an opposition party.
The case is taking place at a time of political turmoil in Thailand.
Paetongtarn was embroiled in controversy after Cambodian leader Hun Sen leaked a phone call he had with her over the Thai-Cambodia border conflict, in which she was heard addressing him as “uncle”.
She was then removed from office after the constitutional court found her to be violating ethical standards expected of her office.
Last week Thailand’s parliament chose Anutin Charnvirakul as the new PM, the third in two years.
