Thaksin Shinawatra, serving a year in a Bangkok prison, spends his time each day reading and watching television, Kanokwan Jiwchueaphan, deputy spokesperson of the Department of Corrections, said today.
Yesterday, he was among about 100 inmates sent for chest X-rays, as part of the prison’s standard health procedures. Results will be reviewed later and follow-up health checks are scheduled, she said.
Kanokwan also said that relatives are allowed to visit twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, while lawyers may visit daily. The current list of 10 registered visitors for Thaksin remains largely unchanged. She added that new visitors may also be permitted, depending on the inmate’s consent and at the warden’s discretion.
Commenting on reports that Thaksin had treated prison staff and inmates to pizza at Klong Prem Central Prison, Kanokwan said it is true that, on Saturday, an outsider, purportedly unrelated to or representing Thaksin, had provided pizza for police managing traffic, as well as corrections officials and guards stationed at the prison’s entrance.
Prisons normally prohibit inmates from sponsoring such meals, as it could be seen as an attempt to curry favour, she noted. Exceptions are sometimes made for special occasions, such as birthdays, but only with the warden’s approval and it is usually limited to inmates treating fellow inmates.
