Since convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned to his motherland by a private jet on August 22 of last year, the Thai public has only had brief glimpses of him. From that point onward, his wellbeing has become shrouded in mystery, not because he has been sent to serve a prison term, but because he vanished within the confines of the Police General Hospital since the day of his return. This has sparked a public outcry.

“The regulation was not designed specifically to benefit Thaksin, but all qualified convicts. Prison is not a place in which to kill or torture convicts and any inmate who is ill is entitled to be treated in a hospital outside the prison”, claimed Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong during his address to parliament last week, as part of the debate on the government’s budget bill.

He added that Thaksin returned to Thailand to face legal consequences because he is a ‘peacemaker’ who aims to foster reconciliation in the country. In fact, the real question concerns whether Thaksin is genuinely unwell. On January 6^th, 2024, Tawee stated that he had received a medical report from the doctor at the Police General Hospital, confirming that the former prime minister is indeed ill.

Regarding the matter of permitting a convict to serve his term outside of prison, he mentioned that the director-general of the Corrections Department and the committee, comprised of doctors from the Corrections Department, will handle the issue and report back to him.

On the same day, the director-general of the Corrections Department made an announcement explaining Thaksin’s case, stating that taking prisoners for treatment outside the prison is an action taken by the Department of Corrections as required by law. Even though the inmate is being treated outside the prison, he must still strictly adhere to the rules and regulations of the Department of Corrections. He is treated the same as prisoners within the prison, without any privileges.

Essentially, what many people in Thai society, such as the Committee on Human Rights, Liberties and Consumer Protection, opposition party MPs and so on, need to know is the nature of Thaksin’s illness and whether it is genuinely serious enough to warrant his prolonged stay in the hospital. The Thai public has never been informed about the condition of Thaksin’s health, due to the patient’s right to privacy.

To be precise, it has been 138 days since Thaksin arrived back in Thailand and was transferred to the Police General Hospital, making him the first prisoner in Thai history to receive this length of treatment outside of prison.

It is worth noting that there is speculation, or just rumor, about a political or exchange deal that was intended to bring Thaksin home, including his ability to avoid imprisonment in jail.

On January 9^th, the Justice Minister answered a question, yet again, regarding Thaksin staying in the hospital for more than 120 days. He claimed that the Director-General of the Department of Corrections will report to him within this week. The delay is attributed to the process, which involves a meeting with the doctor regarding Thaksin’s illness, and the Minister will not learn the details until he receives the report.

Tawee, in a recent interview, claimed that there is little new information about Thaksin’s case.

Maybe because this is part of the ‘deal’. That could be why the people and agencies who take direct responsibility for this case want to buy time until the day another hot issue arises and the public’s interest in Thaksin’s unusually prolonged stay outside prison fades away.

In a nutshell, it can be expected that the convict in question will continue to serve his sentence in the Police General Hospital, and no one involved in his case will be able provide clear answers to the public. Perhaps, Thaksin’s sister, the fugitive former PM Yingluck Shinawatra, will follow in her brother’s footsteps sooner or later.

By Jeerapa Boonyatus