THAILAND’S convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released from Bangkok’s Klong Prem Central Prison on Monday after being allowed to complete the remaining four months of his one-year sentence on parole.
Thaksin made a public appearance at around 7:40 am local time, reuniting with family members in front of the prison, where he had served two-thirds of his sentence required by standard parole criteria. He and his family paid tribute to the Thai flag, expressed gratitude to the supporters, and then left by car at around 7:55 am local time.
As he departed to report to a Bangkok probation office, crowds of supporters wearing red shirts greeted the former prime minister as they gathered outside the prison compound under tight police security. According to the Department of Corrections, Thaksin was among over 850 inmates granted early release at a parole committee meeting last month, citing his age of over 70 and the fact that he had less than a year of jail time left to justify the eligibility.
Xinhua
#TheGlobalNewLightOfMyanmar