PUTRAJAYA: Thaksin Shinawatra's role as informal advisor to the Asean Chair will be affected due to his incarceration, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He added that it is too early to decide on the role the former Thai prime minister will play as his jail term only began on Tuesday (Sept 9).
"On Thaksin, I have discussed with the new Thai Prime Minister Anutin (Charnvirakul) and he agreed that he will discuss it when he comes (here). There is no need to make any immediate decision.
"Thaksin's role will surely be limited because he is not able to give any views or cooperation," said Anwar to reporters during an event here on Wednesday (Sept 10) evening.
In December 2024, Anwar announced that Thaksin had been appointed as his informal advisor on the Asean chairmanship.
Thaksin's incarceration was after a Thai court ruled he had improperly served a previous jail term in hospital.
He was first elected as Thai prime minister in 2001 and was then re-elected in 2005. He was ousted in September 2006 in a military coup.
Thaksin returned to Thailand in August 2023 and was sentenced to eight years' jail for corruption and abuse of power.
However, he did not spend any time in prison and his sentence was reduced to one year by royal pardon before he was freed in an early release scheme for the elderly.
