The decision was reached yesterday (Apr 29) following a meeting of a Ministry of Justice parole committee, which reviewed more than 500 eligible inmates nationwide who meet the criteria under general parole regulations, reports the Bangkok Post.
The committee agreed that Thaksin, currently held at Klong Prem Central Prison, qualified for parole and would not be required to wear an EM ankle bracelet as he is over 70 and has underlying medical conditions.
Thaksin, 76, has been behind bars since Sept 9 last year, when the Supreme Court ordered him to serve his one-year sentence for abuse of authority and conflict of interest while serving as prime minister prior to 2006.
The court said it did not recognise Thaksin’s prolonged stay in a VIP ward at the Police General Hospital in 2023-24 as qualifying for prison time.
As of May 11, he will have served two-thirds of his sentence, the minimum threshold required for parole eligibility.
The meeting yesterday, chaired by Tharinee Saengsawang, the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, lasted more than three hours and included representatives from multiple agencies, including the Department of Corrections, the Department of Probation, the Department of Rights and Liberties Protection, the Office of the Attorney-General, the Royal Thai Police and others.
Corrections officials said the resolution would be submitted to the commander of Klong Prem Central Prison and probation officials to prepare for Thaksin’s release on May 11. He will then remain under probation supervision for the remaining four months of his term.
Under standard probation conditions, parolees are required to report regularly to probation officers, reside at an approved address, comply with the law and refrain from activities that could lead to reoffending. Movement outside designated areas requires prior approval, and violations may result in parole revocation.