Jailed former Thai PM Thaksin to be freed

Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister of Thailand who was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and has been serving an eight-year sentence for graft and abuse of power charges, is expected to be released from detention. The exact release date is not clear but it could be as early as February 17, according to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong announced that Shinawatra will be automatically freed after six months, which would put his release date around March 2023. Previous reports suggested that he might be released any day from Saturday. Shinawatra was twice elected prime minister before being ousted and went into self-imposed exile in 2008. He returned to Thailand on August 22, 2021, and it was speculated that he would not spend much time in prison.