Thaksin makes first public appearance since release
CHIANG MAI: Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra visited his hometown in the kingdom’s north on Thursday as he made his first public appearances since being freed early from a jail sentence for graft and abuse of power. The controversial billionaire, twice elected premier and ousted in a 2006 military coup, prayed at the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine before flying by private jet to Chiang Mai for a three-day trip.
After landing in Chiang Mai—his home city and traditional political power base—at around 9:40 am local time (0240 GMT) he was greeted by his younger sister and her husband before heading to a park and greeting supporters. “Seventeen years I’ve been waiting for him,” Samniang Kongpolparn, who travelled from northeastern Surin province, told AFP at the park. Alongside him was Bangkok taxi driver Paisal, who had journeyed to see the former politician he called “the PM of my heart”.
Thaksin planted a sapling at the park to mark his visit, and released fish into a lake as a Buddhist act of “merit-making”. While in the north, Thaksin will meet family and supporters and pray at the graves of his relatives. Earlier, scores of media camped out in front of the Bangkok shrine where Thaksin, wearing a blue shirt and a neck brace, prayed from around 5:00 am.
He was accompanied by his daughter Paetongtarn, now head of his Pheu Thai party, and her husband. Thaksin, 74, returned to the kingdom in August last year after 15 years of self-exile, and was immediately jailed for eight years on charges dating back to his time in power. But his sentence was cut to one year by King Maha Vajiralongkorn within days of his return, and last month the government said Thaksin was eligible for early release because of his age and poor health.
The former Manchester City owner’s return to Thailand came shortly after Pheu Thai took power at the head of a coalition government that includes parties close to his old foes in the military.
The timing of his return led many to conclude a backroom deal had been struck to cut his jail time, a suggestion denied by the Pheu Thai-led government. Ramet
Rattanachaweng, spokesman for the royalist Democrat party, said the public would be watching closely to see if Thaksin is being given special treatment. “He is on parole. If he gets something beyond regular regulations, the probation and corrections departments will have to explain themselves,” Ramet said.