Paetongtarn Shinawatra has apologised to those who were unhappy with her Instagram post, showing her father, Thaksin, playing with her children in a swimming pool.
She claimed she just wanted to show the happiness of Thaksin and his grandchildren, adding “I did not mean to offend anybody with my post. I apologise.” She then insisted that she will continue posting.
The post featured Thaksin, who is released on parole from a prison sentence he was serving for corruption, in a swimming pool at his Chan Song La residence with Paetongtarn’s children.
Many people expressed doubts about Thaksin’s true health condition, as he was paroled due to old age and “serious illness”.
The Corrections Department’s parole regulations stipulate that a prisoner must be over 70 and meet criteria for sickness, including being unable to perform daily tasks without assistance.
A successful candidate for parole must be unable to eat, use the restroom, wash, or walk without help and be incontinent.
The image posted of Thaksin is apparently of an unimpaired, healthy 74-year-old man and it has led many to question whether he is sick enough to justify parole, or at all.
Many Thai netizens wrote that Paetongtarn’s photo has confirmed that her father has received special treatment from authorities since the moment he set foot back in Thailand, after his self-imposed exile in August last year.
Some said it was because his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn, leads the ruling Pheu Thai party and Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was the successful Pheu Thai prime ministerial candidate.
