Protesters demand end to Thaksin's 'special treatment'
A group calling itself the People and Student Network for the Reform of Thailand delivered a petition to the Ministry of Justice on Thursday saying that former premier Thaksin Shinawatra was receiving special treatment while serving his sentence.
The ministry’s Deputy Permanent Secretary Sahakarn Petchnarin accepted the petition, but said that the ministry’s response to Thaksin’s case was in line with health ethics standards.
Thaksin needs preventative treatment that will last around 10 days, Sahakarn explained.
After that, he will be treated the same as other prisoners, including having his hair cut and wearing prison garb, he said.
The group responded by saying that “people do not believe Thaksin has health problems”.
“Since his arrival, Thaksin has yet to sleep in prison,” they pointed out.
The People and Student Network for the Reform of Thailand made four demands in their petition.
1.If Thaksin needs to receive medical treatment at the Police General Hospital or a private hospital, the Department of Corrections should invite specialised physicians from the Royal College of Physicians of Thailand to conduct a thorough physical exam of Thaksin to determine whether it is necessary for him to receive treatment from an external hospital.
2.The Department of Corrections must ensure that Thaksin is held to the same standards as other inmates.
3.The Ministry of Justice must ensure that a convict has no special privileges within the justice process and must ensure that the impartiality of the proceedings is not compromised.
4. The Ministry of Justice should carefully consider requests for royal pardons for Thaksin as a royal pardon has never been given in cases of corruption. Pardoning him could set a new precedent, which might cause other politicians and civil servants convicted of corruption to use this example to avoid imprisonment.
Officials said Thaksin is still at Police General Hospital and that 10 relatives may visit him on September 28.
