Thaksin, 74, returned to Thailand on August 22 after 15 years in exile abroad. He was sent to jail after being sentenced to eight years in prison by the Supreme Court.
However, the Department of Corrections stated that he was transferred from the Bangkok Remand Prison to the Police General Hospital the following morning after he developed chest pain, high blood pressure and low blood oxygen saturation.
According to the Department of Corrections, Mr. Thaksin’s transfer to the Police General Hospital was done in accordance with the rules. Photo: Bangkok Post
Since then, Mr. Thaksin has been living in the care unit on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital. According to the Department of Corrections, Mr. Thaksin’s transfer to the Police General Hospital was done in accordance with the rules.
However, Angkhana Neelapaijit, a former member of the National Human Rights Commission, said the Department of Corrections should not give Mr. Thaksin any special treatment because other prisoners – especially those coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, with low socioeconomic status – may feel discriminated against. Can
He said, “In prison, all prisoners should be treated equally. But the treatment meted out to Mr. Thaksin has led many to believe that even in prison, he is still a VIP.”
According to the Bangkok Post, Ms Angkhana said there are many elderly prisoners who have the same health condition as Mr Thaksin but do not enjoy the same privileges as him.
Meanwhile, political activist Srisuwan Janya said many people were wondering whether Mr Thaksin was really ill.
Srisuwan argued that Mr. Thaksin was greeted on the red carpet from the time he landed at Don Mueang airport until he was sent to jail and transferred to the Police General Hospital.
“After the trial, he was taken to the Bangkok Remand Jail in an air-conditioned vehicle escorted by security personnel,” Sreesuvan said.
Mr. Srisuwan also pointed out that Mr. Thaksin was looking fine in Dubai – as evidenced by his daughter Patongtorn’s social media posts – but immediately fell ill when he returned home.
Meanwhile, Nasty Thongplad, director of the Bangkok remand prison, said on 27 August that the former prime minister of Thailand, like every other prisoner, has the right to ask for a royal pardon and that he or his relatives have to be ready. There are good reasons to do so.
Mr Nasty said an application for a royal pardon would be sent from the prison and prison officials would review the application before forwarding it to the Department of Corrections. The application is then forwarded to the Ministry of Justice, the Secretariat of the Cabinet, and finally to the Office of the Private Secretary to the King of Thailand, where it will be presented to the Royal Family for consideration.
According to the Bangkok Post, an application form is available for the Royal Thai Royal Family Pardon and applicants must submit a record of their medical treatment, along with documents to prove their past contributions.
Mr. Nasty said that the former prime minister would be able to visit his relatives in the hospital from August 28. The Department of Corrections is limiting the number of visitors to about 10 people a day, and they must register in advance and cannot give gifts to Mr. Thaksin.
