File photo : Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra
Former Democrat MP for Nakhon Nayok Charnchai Isarasenarak and activist lawyer, Nititorn Lamlua, plan to submit a petition this afternoon to the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders seeking a probe into the enforcement of the verdict against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thaksin returned to Thailand on August 22nd to serve his 8-year prison term on three convictions. His term was, however, reduced to one year by a Royal commutation. The former prime minister has not, however, been incarcerated in a prison for even a single day, but was transferred to a prison hospital and then to the Police General Hospital, citing several ailments which require special medical treatment.
Democrat spokesman Ramet Rattanachaweng, meanwhile, claimed that the government’s most outstanding achievement during its 90 days in office is its ability to turn Thailand’s justice system into a farce, in order to serve the interests of the Shinawatra family.
He said there are many unanswered questions over why the former prime minister has been treated on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital, such as what illnesses he is suffering and the new Corrections Department’s regulation allowing certain convicts to spend their time outside a prison.
The Democrat said the privileges granted to Thaksin reinforces the popular axiom that Thai prison is for poor people only.