On August 22, 2023, at 9:00 AM, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand, landing at Don Mueang Airport on a private jet. Despite having outstanding arrest warrants related to three key cases, Thaksin faced no prison time upon his return.

Legal Cases Against Thaksin

1. EXIM Bank Case: Accused of approving a 4-billion-baht loan to Myanmar, benefiting Shinawatra-controlled companies. Sentenced to 3 years.

2. Government Lottery Case: Involved corruption in introducing special lottery schemes. Sentenced to 2 years.

3. Nominee Shareholding Case: Illegally transferring shares of Shin Corporation to nominees. Sentenced to 5 years.

The sentences for the first two cases were combined, resulting in a total of 8 years in prison across all charges.

Key Events Following Thaksin’s Return

Same Day as Return (August 22, 2023): On the same day Thaksin returned, Srettha Thavisin of the Pheu Thai Party was elected Thailand’s 30th Prime Minister, with 152 votes of support from the Senate.

August 23, 2023: Less than 12 hours after entering Bangkok Remand Prison, Thaksin was transferred to Police General Hospital due to health issues, including insomnia, chest tightness, hypertension, and low oxygen levels. He was diagnosed with several chronic conditions requiring ongoing care.

August 31, 2023: A royal pardon reduced Thaksin’s prison sentence from 8 years to 1 year. Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha endorsed the royal decree.

February 18, 2024: Thaksin is scheduled for release after serving 180 days under hospital custody. This aligns with eligibility criteria for inmates over 70 years old with chronic health issues who have served at least one-third of their sentence.

Yingluck’s Possible Return

On November 14, 2024, Thaksin hinted in an interview that his sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, who has been living in exile since her 2014 ousting, might return to Thailand before the Songkran festival in 2025. He expressed confidence that there would be no legal obstacles to her return, suggesting it could happen earlier depending on the timing.