Thai ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra vows to return from self-exile, face jail time
- After years of living abroad, Thaksin Shinawatra wants to return to his homeland to spend the rest of his life with his family
- The former prime minister was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and left Thailand in 2008 to avoid facing time in prison
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Friday that he is ready to serve his prison term in Thailand provided he is allowed to spend the rest of his life with his family, regardless of the results of an coming general election.
Speaking during a trip to Tokyo, Thaksin said he is biding his time before possibly returning to Thailand this year, following years of living in self-exile abroad. He was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and left Thailand in 2008 to avoid facing time in prison.
“Now I’ve served 16 years already in the big jail because they prevent me from staying with my family”, Thaksin said, referring to his life away from his home country. “I’ve suffered enough. If I were to suffer again in the smaller jail, it is OK”.
“It is not really the price I need to pay but I pay, because I want to stay with my grandchildren. I should spend the rest of my life with my children and my grandchildren,” the 73-year-old said.
The populist billionaire, who served as prime minister from 2001 to 2006, expressed confidence that the Pheu Thai Party, a Thaksin-aligned opposition party, will win the May 14 election by achieving a majority in the lower house.