Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra greets supporters at Klong Prem Central Prison, in Bangkok, Thailand, May 11, 2026.
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been released from prison in Bangkok after serving eight months of a one-year sentence linked to corruption and abuse of power charges.
The 76-year-old billionaire walked out of Klong Prem Central Prison early Monday morning, where he was greeted by hundreds of supporters, family members, and political allies chanting his name. Dressed in a simple white shirt and closely cropped hair, Thaksin smiled but did not speak to journalists.
His release marks another dramatic turn in a political career that has shaped Thai politics for more than two decades. Thaksin served as prime minister from 2001 until he was ousted in a military coup in 2006 while abroad. He spent 15 years in self-exile before returning to Thailand in 2023 to face an eight-year prison sentence, later reduced to one year by royal pardon.
Shortly after his return, Thaksin was transferred from prison to hospital due to reported heart issues and chest pain, where he remained for several months under medical care. He was later granted parole after serving part of his sentence, with authorities citing his age, health, and good behaviour.
Thailand’s Supreme Court later ruled that his extended hospital stay had been improperly prolonged, ordering him back to prison to complete his sentence. A Ministry of Justice review panel has now approved his release, allowing him to leave custody under conditions that include wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet for the remainder of his sentence.
Thaksin’s return to public life comes as his political influence has weakened. His party, Pheu Thai Party, recently suffered its worst electoral performance in years but remains part of a governing coalition led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
His family continues to play a major role in Thai politics. His daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who previously served as the country’s youngest prime minister before being removed by court order, remains a prominent political figure.
Analysts say Thaksin’s release could reshape Thailand’s fragile political balance once again, as the country continues to grapple with long-standing divisions between pro- and anti-Thaksin factions.
