Democrats want NACC probe into parole granted to Thaksin
The opposition Democrat Party has urged the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to look into the parole granted to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying it was a “political drama aimed at deceiving the people”.
Party spokesperson Ramet Rattanachaweng on Friday said that people were frustrated with the failure of the government to provide a proper update in Thaksin’s case, and urged independent bodies like the NACC to probe the matter.
“All of this is a drama that was aimed at deceiving the people. The Thaksin system was rejuvenated,” he said.
Ramet said that Thaksin’s visit to his hometown, Chiang Mai, had made public a secret that had been concealed for long: that there was nothing seriously wrong with his health as claimed by the the authorities.
Thaksin was wearing a brace around his neck when he was discharged from Police General Hospital on being granted parole in February, and his arm was seen in a cast when former former Cambodian premier Hun Sen met him at his residence. However, Thaksin was not wearing a brace or a cast while visiting the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand on Wednesday.
He has appeared sometimes in only a neck brace and at times with a back brace during his visit to Chiang Mai.
Ramet said that the NACC should carefully look into the procedure followed for Thaksin’s parole, and whether his health condition was serious as claimed.
The issue of Thaksin’s health condition is among the topics included in debates against the Pheu Thai-led government by senators and the opposition camp. The former is slated on March 25, while the latter is scheduled for April 3-4.
Thaksin was sentenced in absentia to eight years in prison for corruption stemming from his 2001-2006 tenure as prime minister, which was cut short by a military coup.
He returned home in August last year and received a royal pardon soon after, which reduced the sentence to one year in jail.
