BANGKOK: With former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra (pic) soon to be eligible for parole, Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong has reiterated strict adherence to the “rule of law” principle in dealing with his case.
The minister on Thursday told the media that there is no discrimination in the criteria for parole and that it applies to anyone who meets the conditions.
“The government works in accordance with the constitution and the rule of law principle,” he said, adding that he intends to bring about justice in every case.
Tawee, who serves as leader of the coalition Prachachat Party, said that the decision to grant parole will be made by a committee, encompassing representatives from the Department of Corrections, the Justice Minister, the Royal Thai Police, and the Interior Minister, before being submitted to him for approval.
“In this [Thaksin’s] case, the committee has yet to make a proposal,” he explained.
The ex-premier’s jail term will meet the Department of Corrections (DoC) criteria for special parole on February 18. The regulation permits parole for an individual who is over 70 years of age or is suffering from a serious medical condition and has completed one-third of their prison term.
After 15 years of self-imposed exile, Thaksin returned to Thailand last year. Upon his arrival, the Supreme Court ruled that he serve eight years behind bars for previous convictions. His sentence was later reduced to one year by a royal pardon.
On the first night of his stay at Bangkok Remand Prison, Thaksin was transferred to the Police General Hospital due to a serious illness, where he has reportedly remained until now.
Tawee said that the law allows any prisoner to stay in the hospital while being imprisoned if a doctor declares his/her medical condition to be serious and requiring continuing treatment.
Earlier, the Office of the Attorney General announced that Thaksin also faces lese majeste charges stemming from an interview he conducted with foreign media in 2015.
Regarding this issue, the Director-General of the DoC, Sahakarn Petchanarin, explained that if an incarcerated individual is discovered to be facing additional legal charges, the officials leading the inquiry must notify the prison authorities about the detainee’s legal status before proceeding with further legal processes once parole is granted. - The Nation/ANN
