Former PM to remain in hospital following surgery
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will remain at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok as he is recovering from surgery, the Department of Corrections announced on Wednesday.
The department did not elaborate on the nature of the surgery but just cited the opinion of doctors, who said that Thaksin’s treatment was not over, and he must remain hospitalised.
Thaksin, 74, returned to the country last month to face jail time stemming from convictions of power abuse during his time as prime minister. He was moved from Bangkok Remand Prison to the hospital on the night of August 22 following a health scare. His symptoms included a spike in blood pressure and low blood oxygen saturation.
According to Justice Ministerial Regulations, prisoners who have been treated for illness outside the prison for more than 30 days must receive approval from the Department of Corrections’ director-general and doctors responsible for the treatment.
Today (September 21) marks the 30-day deadline.
In its announcement, the department also said that this year 140 prisoners had been treated outside prisons for more than 30 days, with the number this month alone standing at 14 people (including Thaksin).
Upon landing in Thailand after over 15 years of self-exile in overseas, Thaksin was diagnosed with four co-morbidities: Ischemia, a severe lung infection, hypertension, and degenerative spine and herniated discs.
On September 1, the former prime minister’s jail time was commuted by HM the King from eight years to one year.
