Fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra is scheduled to return to Thailand on August 10, after 17 years of self-imposed exile, his youngest daughter Paetongtarn announced on Wednesday in a Facebook posting.
Her announcement was made on her father’s 74th birthday.
Thaksin has postponed his return 19 times so far. He had said that he would return this month, so that he could celebrate his birthday with his grandchildren. He even claimed, for the first time, that he is ready to face the legal consequences.
Thaksin was ousted in a coup in 2006 and he has since lived in self-imposed exile. During his absence, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office sentenced him to a total of 12 years imprisonment in four cases.
Paetongtarn wrote that every July 26 is always an important day for her. This year, she said she could not believe it herself that her beloved father is coming home.
“Everybody in the family and I feel happy and worried, but we respect his decision. May God bless you, so that you are strong and safe. I want that your wish to see your grandkids off to school comes true,” she wrote, adding “For everybody who reads this, my father is a Thai and a (former) prime minister whom is said to have done the most work. He has faced bad fortune and has been severely defamed.”
Thai authorities acknowledge that they have prepared a plan to receive Thaksin if he really does return home this time.
