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FORMER Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be fully discharged from the remainder of his sentence under a royal pardon granted by King Vajiralongkorn, marking the final chapter in the legal proceedings that followed his return to Thailand after years in self-imposed exile.
Thailand's Justice Minister, Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon Naowarat, confirmed that Thaksin's name was included among those receiving clemency under the Royal Decree on Royal Pardons 2026, published in the Royal Gazette in conjunction with Queen Suthida’s birthday celebrations.
The decision effectively removes the remaining portion of Thaksin’s sentence, as he had less than one year left to serve under the terms of his punishment.
"Thaksin will be able to remove his electronic monitoring (EM) ankle bracelet immediately.
"However, there are still administrative procedures that must be completed, including consideration by the provincial committee established to review such cases," Bernama reported Rutthapon telling reporters.
The royal pardon forms part of Thailand’s longstanding tradition of granting clemency to eligible prisoners during major national occasions, including royal birthdays and significant commemorative events.
This year’s decree was issued in conjunction with Queen Suthida’s birthday on June 3.
The move represents the latest development in the remarkable political comeback of Thaksin, once Thailand’s most influential politician and a deeply polarising figure in the kingdom’s modern political history.
The 76-year-old was released on parole on May 11 after serving eight months of a one-year sentence.
Thailand’s Department of Corrections cited his age, health condition and time already served as factors supporting his early release.
Thaksin’s legal troubles resurfaced following a ruling by Thailand’s Supreme Court last year that determined he had improperly served his 2023 sentence in a hospital suite rather than in a conventional prison cell.
A telecommunications billionaire turned politician, Thaksin first became prime minister in 2001 before securing a second term in 2005. His administration was eventually cut short by a military coup, forcing him into years of self-imposed exile abroad.
His return to Thailand in August 2023 ended more than a decade overseas and immediately thrust him back into the centre of the country’s political landscape.
Upon his return, he was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment on convictions linked to corruption and abuse of power. That sentence was subsequently reduced to one year through a royal pardon.
Rather than serving his sentence in prison, Thaksin was transferred to a private hospital room on medical grounds, a decision that generated intense public scrutiny and political debate.
His subsequent parole release formed part of Thailand’s early-release programme for elderly inmates, paving the way for Wednesday’s royal pardon, which now removes the remainder of his sentence entirely.
The development closes a legal saga that has shaped Thai politics for nearly two decades and comes as the influence of the Shinawatra family continues to loom large over the country's political landscape. - June 3, 2026
