Thaksin assigned prison duty to supervise drain-cleaning, says daughter
Paetongtarn says father’s health is okay, video call with grandchildren likely to happen soon
September 26, 2025
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been given work to do in prison, his daughter revealed on Thursday, saying the corrections chief had assigned her father to help oversee drain-cleaning operations.
Pheu Thai Party leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra, also a former prime minister, discussed her father’s assignment during her visit to Klongprem Central Prison in Bangkok on Thursday.
Reporters from various news agencies continued to gather outside the prison on Ngamwongwan Road in Chatuchak district, more than two weeks after Thaksin was brought there.
Ms Paetongtarn and her husband Pitaka Suksawat arrived at the prison at 8.40am, marking the fourth time Thaksin’s family has been allowed to see him since the Supreme Court sent him to jail on Sept 9.
The court ordered him to serve the one-year imprisonment term handed down two years ago, after finding that Thaksin’s six-month stay in a luxury hospital ward did not meet the conditions of his sentence.
A group of red-shirt supporters played recordings of songs sung by Thaksin through loudspeakers to show support on the road in front of the prison. Some supporters carried red umbrellas printed with cartoon images of Thaksin.
Upon their arrival, Ms Paetongtarn and her husband walked towards the red-shirt group and greeted the crowd with smiles and traditional wai gestures. The couple thanked them for their continued support.
“I can only visit on Mondays and Thursdays — two days a week,” she told supporters, who encouraged her to visit more often and jokingly commented on the volume of the music being played.
Ms Paetongtarn was unable to visit her father this past Monday due to prior commitments. However, Mr Pitaka and her elder sister Pintongta Shinawatra Kunakornwong went to the prison that day.
When reporters asked her whether Thaksin’s grandchildren had sent any letters, Ms Paetongtarn replied, “Not today. But soon they’ll be allowed to video call him via Line. We’ll need to check with the lawyer about the schedule.”
After about an hour inside, the couple emerged to meet red-shirt supporters from Sing Buri province.
Speaking to reporters, Ms Paetongtarn said her father was in good health. “His health is okay. The prison chief said he would assign my father to help supervise drain-cleaning work,” she said before departing.
Kanokwan Jiewchueaphan, deputy spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections, confirmed that Thaksin had spoken with the director of Klongprem prison and expressed his intention to assist with public service work.
He offered to contribute to the department’s operations by helping supervise drain-clearing operations, should the opportunity arise, said Ms Kanokwan, who is also chief of the Nonthaburi prison.
Ms Kanokwan said any such assignment must comply with the department’s regulations, outlined in a 2023 directive, governing the deployment of inmates for public service outside prison grounds.
The Supreme Court rejected Thaksin’s claims of illness that had allowed him to stay at Police General Hospital from the night of his return to Thailand in August 2023 until his parole in early 2024.
On Sept 9, the 76-year-old billionaire was admitted to Bangkok Remand Prison and the following day was transferred to Klongprem prison for convicts whose sentences have been finalised.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... s-daughter
Thaksin's court verdict - and what it means
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Re: Thaksin's court verdict - and what it means
Former Thai PM Thaksin seeks royal pardon, lawyer says
September 29, 2025
Thailand's influential former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has submitted a petition for a royal pardon for his one-year jail sentence, his lawyer said on Monday.
The former premier was jailed earlier this month after the country's Supreme Court ruled that he did not serve his initial prison sentence after spending six months in a VIP wing of a hospital following his return from 15 years of self-exile in August 2023.
Thaksin, 76, was initially sentenced to eight years in jail for conflicts of interest and abuse of power while he was prime minister from 2001 to 2006. His sentence was later commuted to one year by the king.
Thaksin's request for royal pardon, a process applicable to all prisoners who have completed their legal cases, could lead to the reduction of his current prison time.
"The petition was submitted," Winyat Chartmontree told reporters, adding, "This is a right of every inmate." The former premier has loomed over Thai politics for around three decades, winning nearly every election since 2001.
His abrasive style and soaring popularity put him at odds with the country's old money elites and conservative generals, with six Shinawatra-linked administrations removed through court rulings and coups.
His incarceration came after a court sacked his daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, in August for breaching ethics during a leaked phone call in which she appeared to kowtow to Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen amid a border conflict between the two neighbours.
The fall of Ms Paetongtarn's government paved the way for former construction tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul to become premier.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... awyer-says
September 29, 2025
Thailand's influential former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has submitted a petition for a royal pardon for his one-year jail sentence, his lawyer said on Monday.
The former premier was jailed earlier this month after the country's Supreme Court ruled that he did not serve his initial prison sentence after spending six months in a VIP wing of a hospital following his return from 15 years of self-exile in August 2023.
Thaksin, 76, was initially sentenced to eight years in jail for conflicts of interest and abuse of power while he was prime minister from 2001 to 2006. His sentence was later commuted to one year by the king.
Thaksin's request for royal pardon, a process applicable to all prisoners who have completed their legal cases, could lead to the reduction of his current prison time.
"The petition was submitted," Winyat Chartmontree told reporters, adding, "This is a right of every inmate." The former premier has loomed over Thai politics for around three decades, winning nearly every election since 2001.
His abrasive style and soaring popularity put him at odds with the country's old money elites and conservative generals, with six Shinawatra-linked administrations removed through court rulings and coups.
His incarceration came after a court sacked his daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, in August for breaching ethics during a leaked phone call in which she appeared to kowtow to Cambodia's former leader Hun Sen amid a border conflict between the two neighbours.
The fall of Ms Paetongtarn's government paved the way for former construction tycoon Anutin Charnvirakul to become premier.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... awyer-says
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Re: Thaksin's court verdict - and what it means
Pardon vetoed for former Thai PM Thaksin
October 6, 2025
Justice Minister Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon Naowarat has reaffirmed the stance of his predecessor, Pol Col Tawee Sodsong, who supported the Department of Corrections’ recommendation to reject the royal pardon appeal submitted on behalf of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The decision means Thaksin will be required to remain in prison to serve out a one-year prison sentence in accordance with the Supreme Court’s final ruling, a source said.
The reports came as Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon stated on Monday that he had already submitted his opinion on Thaksin’s second petition for royal pardon to the Cabinet Secretariat.
Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon said that he had instructed the permanent secretary for justice to form a committee to review Thaksin’s request and finish its work in three days.
He stated that he received the findings from the review committee on Monday and had added advisory remarks before referring the matter to the Cabinet Secretariat for further action.
According to the justice minister, when a convict seeks a royal pardon, the matter must be referred to His Majesty through the proper channels, as outlined in Section 259 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... pm-thaksin
October 6, 2025
Justice Minister Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon Naowarat has reaffirmed the stance of his predecessor, Pol Col Tawee Sodsong, who supported the Department of Corrections’ recommendation to reject the royal pardon appeal submitted on behalf of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The decision means Thaksin will be required to remain in prison to serve out a one-year prison sentence in accordance with the Supreme Court’s final ruling, a source said.
The reports came as Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon stated on Monday that he had already submitted his opinion on Thaksin’s second petition for royal pardon to the Cabinet Secretariat.
Pol Lt Gen Rutthapon said that he had instructed the permanent secretary for justice to form a committee to review Thaksin’s request and finish its work in three days.
He stated that he received the findings from the review committee on Monday and had added advisory remarks before referring the matter to the Cabinet Secretariat for further action.
According to the justice minister, when a convict seeks a royal pardon, the matter must be referred to His Majesty through the proper channels, as outlined in Section 259 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/po ... pm-thaksin
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Gaybutton
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Re: Thaksin's court verdict - and what it means
Thaksin finds himself in deep legal trouble yet again. As you might know, by Thai law even when a person is acquitted, the prosecution has the right to appeal the acquittal - and that is what apparently they are going to do in the Lese Majeste case against Thaksin. On top of that, Thailand's Supreme Court has ordered Thaksin to pay a 17.6 billion baht tax assessment, the equivalent of over US $542-million. I wonder how Thaksin feels now about having voluntarily returned to Thailand. I find it difficult to believe he truly thought he would end up spending prison time and have to come up with this kind of money, not to mention the possibility of a many years prison sentence if the prosecution successfully overrides the acquittal.
I can allow comments about his tax situation, but I CANNOT ALLOW comments about Lese Majeste. I'm sorry, but any comments directly or indirectly referring to Thailand's Lese Majeste laws will be deleted.
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Thai Office of the Attorney General Overrides Prior Committee Vote, Plans to Appeal Thaksin Shinawatra's Lese Majeste Acquittal
By Adam Judd
November 17, 2025
In a turn that has reignited political tensions, Thailand’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has ordered an appeal against the acquittal of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on lèse-majesté charges, defying a prior committee recommendation and drawing sharp reactions from his family and supporters.
The decision, announced late last week and confirmed today, stems from a high-profile case under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, Thailand’s strict lèse-majesté law prohibiting insults to the monarchy. Thaksin, 76, was acquitted by the Criminal Court on August 22nd, 2025, in a ruling that found insufficient evidence linking his 2015 interview with South Korean broadcaster KBS to any direct defamation of the Thai royal institution. The court stated that the video clip in question targeted specific political figures rather than the monarchy itself, deeming the prosecution’s witnesses, some of whom had publicly opposed Thaksin for decades, as biased and lacking credibility.
Despite this, OAG chief Itthiporn Kaewtip, who previously chaired the review committee as deputy attorney general, exercised his discretionary authority over the extraterritorial case to push forward the appeal. In September 2025, a specialized OAG committee on Section 112 cases voted 8-2 against appealing, citing the weakness of the evidence after reviewing the file forwarded by then-Attorney General Pairat Pornsombunsirirat. However, with the appeal deadline extended twice by the court to November 21st, Itthiporn ruled that Thaksin’s statements constituted an offense warranting higher judicial scrutiny by the Court of Appeal. The order has been forwarded to the Office of the Criminal Case Prosecutor 8 for formal filing.
The move has deepened divisions in Thailand’s polarized political landscape. Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, visited him at Bangkok’s Klong Prem Central Prison this afternoon, where he is serving time on a separate corruption conviction. Emerging emotional, she revealed her father’s profound disappointment: “He’s heartbroken and hurt by the Attorney General’s decision to appeal the Section 112 case.” She vowed the family would fight on if justice remains elusive, while son Panthongtae admitted the news had left them “spiritually shaken” but grateful for public support.
Conservative voices, however, hailed the appeal as a victory for legal accountability. Ramet Rattanachewang, a Democrat Party secretary, called it “good news to usher in the new year,” arguing that such a significant case demands review by higher courts to uphold the law’s integrity. Critics, including Thaksin loyalists, decry it as politically motivated, pointing to Itthiporn’s reversal of his own committee’s stance as evidence of external pressure. They also claim it is primarily meant to keep Thaksin in prison longer, especially during any upcoming election, as inmates facing other legal charges are not generally eligible for parole, which he would have been soon otherwise. Supporters of the appeal, however, state it is about justice and not politically motivated.
Thaksin, a polarizing figure who returned from exile in 2024, now faces prolonged uncertainty amid his imprisonment and advisory role to the Pheu Thai-led government. The Court of Appeal’s ruling could reshape not just his fate, but the boundaries of free speech in the kingdom.
https://thepattayanews.com/2025/11/17/t ... acquittal/
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Supreme Court orders B17bn tax on Thaksin
by Wassayos Ngamkham
November 17, 2025
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against Thaksin Shinawatra in a long-running tax dispute, ordering him to pay 17.6 billion baht in personal income tax, fines and fees arising from the sale of Shin Corporation shares in 2006.
The court overturned earlier decisions by the Central Tax Court and the Special Appeals Court, which had previously sided with Thaksin and annulled the Revenue Department’s tax assessment on grounds of illegality. The Supreme Court’s ruling reinstates the tax liability and paves the way for enforcement proceedings.
The case stems from a 2017 tax assessment issued by the Revenue Department, demanding payment of 17.6 billion baht in taxes, fines and fees from Thaksin’s sale of Shin Corp shares.
Thaksin initially won in both the Tax Court and the Appeals Court in 2023, which found the department’s actions unlawful. However, the Revenue Department appealed to the Supreme Court, which has now reversed those rulings.
The Revenue Department’s tax appraisal was made after the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions had ruled to seize Thaksin’s assets worth 46 billion baht in 2010.
In its ruling, the court found that Panthongtae and Pintongta acted as proxies on behalf of their father in the share sale in January 2006.
The siblings purchased 329 million Shin Corp shares at a price of one baht each from Ample Rich, an offshore holding company controlled by the Shinawatra family. They then sold the Shin shares in their name to Temasek through the Stock Exchange of Thailand for 49.25 baht each, reaping capital gains of nearly 16 billion baht.
The family sold the controlling stake in Shin Corp to Temasek in a deal worth 73.3 billion baht, allowing the investment arm of the Singapore government to acquire a 49% stake.
The deal was helped along by a legal amendment that lifted the foreign ownership cap in telecommunications businesses to 49% from 25%.
The 49% Shin Corp stake sale occurred on Jan 23, 2006, just after the amended telecommunications act took effect on Jan 20, 2006, when Thaksin was the prime minister.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... on-thaksin
I can allow comments about his tax situation, but I CANNOT ALLOW comments about Lese Majeste. I'm sorry, but any comments directly or indirectly referring to Thailand's Lese Majeste laws will be deleted.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thai Office of the Attorney General Overrides Prior Committee Vote, Plans to Appeal Thaksin Shinawatra's Lese Majeste Acquittal
By Adam Judd
November 17, 2025
In a turn that has reignited political tensions, Thailand’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has ordered an appeal against the acquittal of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on lèse-majesté charges, defying a prior committee recommendation and drawing sharp reactions from his family and supporters.
The decision, announced late last week and confirmed today, stems from a high-profile case under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, Thailand’s strict lèse-majesté law prohibiting insults to the monarchy. Thaksin, 76, was acquitted by the Criminal Court on August 22nd, 2025, in a ruling that found insufficient evidence linking his 2015 interview with South Korean broadcaster KBS to any direct defamation of the Thai royal institution. The court stated that the video clip in question targeted specific political figures rather than the monarchy itself, deeming the prosecution’s witnesses, some of whom had publicly opposed Thaksin for decades, as biased and lacking credibility.
Despite this, OAG chief Itthiporn Kaewtip, who previously chaired the review committee as deputy attorney general, exercised his discretionary authority over the extraterritorial case to push forward the appeal. In September 2025, a specialized OAG committee on Section 112 cases voted 8-2 against appealing, citing the weakness of the evidence after reviewing the file forwarded by then-Attorney General Pairat Pornsombunsirirat. However, with the appeal deadline extended twice by the court to November 21st, Itthiporn ruled that Thaksin’s statements constituted an offense warranting higher judicial scrutiny by the Court of Appeal. The order has been forwarded to the Office of the Criminal Case Prosecutor 8 for formal filing.
The move has deepened divisions in Thailand’s polarized political landscape. Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, visited him at Bangkok’s Klong Prem Central Prison this afternoon, where he is serving time on a separate corruption conviction. Emerging emotional, she revealed her father’s profound disappointment: “He’s heartbroken and hurt by the Attorney General’s decision to appeal the Section 112 case.” She vowed the family would fight on if justice remains elusive, while son Panthongtae admitted the news had left them “spiritually shaken” but grateful for public support.
Conservative voices, however, hailed the appeal as a victory for legal accountability. Ramet Rattanachewang, a Democrat Party secretary, called it “good news to usher in the new year,” arguing that such a significant case demands review by higher courts to uphold the law’s integrity. Critics, including Thaksin loyalists, decry it as politically motivated, pointing to Itthiporn’s reversal of his own committee’s stance as evidence of external pressure. They also claim it is primarily meant to keep Thaksin in prison longer, especially during any upcoming election, as inmates facing other legal charges are not generally eligible for parole, which he would have been soon otherwise. Supporters of the appeal, however, state it is about justice and not politically motivated.
Thaksin, a polarizing figure who returned from exile in 2024, now faces prolonged uncertainty amid his imprisonment and advisory role to the Pheu Thai-led government. The Court of Appeal’s ruling could reshape not just his fate, but the boundaries of free speech in the kingdom.
https://thepattayanews.com/2025/11/17/t ... acquittal/
_____________________________________
Supreme Court orders B17bn tax on Thaksin
by Wassayos Ngamkham
November 17, 2025
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against Thaksin Shinawatra in a long-running tax dispute, ordering him to pay 17.6 billion baht in personal income tax, fines and fees arising from the sale of Shin Corporation shares in 2006.
The court overturned earlier decisions by the Central Tax Court and the Special Appeals Court, which had previously sided with Thaksin and annulled the Revenue Department’s tax assessment on grounds of illegality. The Supreme Court’s ruling reinstates the tax liability and paves the way for enforcement proceedings.
The case stems from a 2017 tax assessment issued by the Revenue Department, demanding payment of 17.6 billion baht in taxes, fines and fees from Thaksin’s sale of Shin Corp shares.
Thaksin initially won in both the Tax Court and the Appeals Court in 2023, which found the department’s actions unlawful. However, the Revenue Department appealed to the Supreme Court, which has now reversed those rulings.
The Revenue Department’s tax appraisal was made after the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions had ruled to seize Thaksin’s assets worth 46 billion baht in 2010.
In its ruling, the court found that Panthongtae and Pintongta acted as proxies on behalf of their father in the share sale in January 2006.
The siblings purchased 329 million Shin Corp shares at a price of one baht each from Ample Rich, an offshore holding company controlled by the Shinawatra family. They then sold the Shin shares in their name to Temasek through the Stock Exchange of Thailand for 49.25 baht each, reaping capital gains of nearly 16 billion baht.
The family sold the controlling stake in Shin Corp to Temasek in a deal worth 73.3 billion baht, allowing the investment arm of the Singapore government to acquire a 49% stake.
The deal was helped along by a legal amendment that lifted the foreign ownership cap in telecommunications businesses to 49% from 25%.
The 49% Shin Corp stake sale occurred on Jan 23, 2006, just after the amended telecommunications act took effect on Jan 20, 2006, when Thaksin was the prime minister.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/ge ... on-thaksin