Thaksin granted parole without EM bracelet, release set for May 11
A Justice Ministry panel has approved Thaksin Shinawatra’s parole, clearing his release on May 11 without an EM bracelet.
Update: Later on Thursday, the parole committee announced that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra must wear an electronic monitoring device, or EM bracelet, until the end of his sentence.
The Justice Ministry-level parole committee has approved parole for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, clearing the way for his release from Klong Prem Central Prison on May 11 without requiring him to wear an electronic monitoring (EM) bracelet.
The decision was reached after a meeting at the Justice Ministry on Wednesday (April 29), where the panel considered parole cases for more than 500 eligible prisoners nationwide, including Thaksin. The committee resolved to grant Thaksin parole without an EM bracelet because he falls under the elderly prisoner category and has chronic illnesses. Thaksin is 76.
Four months of probation before full discharge
Thaksin will remain under probation for another four months after his release. His one-year sentence is due to end on September 9, 2026, when he will be fully discharged under the correctional process.
He is currently serving a one-year sentence ordered by the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions. He has already completed the period required to qualify for parole, after serving two-thirds of the one-year term.
Under the parole conditions, Thaksin must report to a probation officer within three days of release and continue reporting as instructed until his sentence is completed. He must also stay at the declared residence submitted through his lawyer, identified in reports as Ban Chan Song La in Bangkok’s Bang Phlat district.
Final approval after two earlier reviews
The ministry-level decision was the final stage in the parole process.
Thaksin had already passed two earlier reviews — first by the prison-level parole committee and then by the Department of Corrections-level parole committee. Wednesday’s meeting was the final approval step by the Justice Ministry-level committee.
The meeting was chaired by Tharinee Saengsawang, deputy permanent secretary of the Justice Ministry, who was assigned to act on behalf of Pongsawat Neelayothin, the ministry’s permanent secretary.
Before the meeting, Pol Lt Col Pravut Wongsinil, director-general of the Department of Corrections, said Thaksin was one of more than 500 prisoners nationwide being considered in this round. He said any decision on an EM bracelet or special conditions would depend on the committee’s discussion.
Politically sensitive case
Thaksin’s parole decision is politically sensitive because of his central role in Thai politics over the past two decades and the controversy surrounding his previous detention.
The Supreme Court ruled in September 2025 that Thaksin had to serve a one-year prison term after finding that his earlier stay in a police hospital did not count as lawful detention. The court found his prolonged hospital stay was not justified as prison time, and he began serving the sentence at Klong Prem Central Prison after the ruling.
Thaksin had returned to Thailand in 2023 after years in self-exile. His original sentence was later reduced to one year by royal clemency, making him eligible for parole after serving the required portion of the term.
The latest decision means Thaksin is set to leave prison on May 11, but he will remain legally under correctional supervision until September 9.
