The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders is set to deliver a ruling on September 9 in the case of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s questionable six-month stay on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital, for treatment of purportedly critical illnesses, without spending a day behind bars serving a prison sentence.
The court set the date for the reading of its ruling after it completed its enquiry into the case today, following a final hearing in which former deputy prime minister Wissanu Krea-ngam was questioned.
Wissanu was acting justice minister at the time Thaksin was sent to the Bangkok Remand Prison on August 22nd, 2023, following his arrival in Thailand after about two decades of self-imposed exile abroad.
The court asked the former deputy prime minister for full details of his visit to Thaksin in prison on August 22nd, how Thaksin was dressed and details of the conversation with the prisoner.
Wissanu is reported to have told the court that he had held two meetings with then justice permanent secretary, the director-general of the Corrections Department, the warden of Bangkok Remand Prison, the national police chief and the assistant police chief to discuss how to escort Thaksin from the airport to the court and an inspection of the conditions in the prison.
Wissanu told the court that he inspected the prison cells, which used to hold Wiroj Nuankae, former president and CEO of the Krung Thai Bank, Rakesh Saxena, former executive of the now defunct Bangkok Bank of Commerce (BBC), and Sonthi Limthongkul, of the Manager Group.
He summarised three reasons why Thaksin should be imprisoned in a special place, namely that Thaksin used to be the prime minister of Thailand, that he might be harmed if kept in an ordinary prison and that he required medical treatment.
Wissanu also told the court that he was unaware of how Thaksin sought a Royal commutation, which resulted to his eight-year prison term being reduced to just one year, but he admitted that he was the person who received the order for the Royal commutation.
