Thailand Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra leaves Country amid Turmoil

Thailand Ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra leaves Country amid Turmoil

Why in News? 

Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra left the country on his private jet and reached Dubai. The move comes at a time when the Thailand court is set to deliver its verdict on a corruption related case on 9 September 2025.

Corruption Controversies against Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra

• • 2006: In September 2006, while Thaksin was attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Thai Military staged a coup and removed him from office. The coup leaders accused him of undermining democratic institutions and of using political office for personal and family business benefits. Thaksin did not return to Thailand immediately and chose to live abroad for 15 years. Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand in August 2023 and was immediately taken into custody.

• 2008: The Supreme Court of Thailand in 2008 convicted him in absentia for a conflict of interest case involving a land deal in Bangkok. The case accused him of using his influence as Prime Minister to benefit his then-wife, Khunying Potjaman Na Pombejra, in purchasing prime land from the government at below-market price. The court sentenced him to two years of imprisonment, but Thaksin returned to Thailand in August 2023 to serve the sentence.

• 2010: In 2010, the Supreme Court ordered the seizure of 46 billion baht (approximately 1.4 billion USD at that time) from his family assets, declaring that the money was obtained through corrupt means while in office. The court found that Thaksin had used government policies and decisions to benefit companies linked to his family. 

• 2025 (Final Verdict Soon): In 2023, when Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand, the court sentenced him to eight years in prison on old corruption charges, later reduced to one year by a royal pardon. Allegations soon emerged that he did not serve his term in jail but stayed in a special room at the Police General Hospital. The Supreme Court is now investigating these claims and is expected to deliver its verdict on 9 September 2025.

Life and Journey of Thaksin Shinawatra

• Background: He was born on 26 July 1949 in the San Kamphaeng district of Chiang Mai, Thailand. He belonged to a family with strong business roots. His ancestors were Chinese immigrants who had settled in Thailand generations earlier. 

• His father, Lert Shinawatra, ran businesses and served in local politics.

• His mother, Yindi Ramingwong, came from a family connected with regional leadership. 

1. 1. 1. Thaksin spent his childhood in Chiang Mai, assisting with family businesses while attending school.
      2. His family encouraged him to pursue higher studies and develop leadership qualities. 

• Education: In the late 1960s, he joined the Royal Police Cadet Academy in Bangkok and completed his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 1973. He earned a master’s degree in criminal justice from Eastern Kentucky University in 1975 while gaining international exposure. Later he completed a doctorate in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University in Texas in 1978. 

• Career: 

1. 1. 1. Police Service (1973-87): Thaksin was also part of the 10th class of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School. After returning to Thailand, Thaksin began his career as a police officer. He worked as a police lieutenant and later rose in the ranks while also teaching part-time at the Police Cadet Academy. 
      2. Businessman: In the 1980s, he left the police service to focus on expanding his business ventures. He started companies dealing in computers and telecommunications. In 1986, he established Shin Corporation, which grew rapidly in the fields of satellite, mobile phones, and broadcasting. Through his ventures, Thaksin became one of the richest men in Thailand. 

• Politician: Thaksin officially entered politics in 1994 by becoming the foreign minister of Thailand for a short time. In 1998, he founded the Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT), which focused on policies for rural development, social welfare, and economic reforms. He served as a Deputy PM of Thailand twice in years 196 and 1997. Thaksin became Prime Minister of Thailand in 2001 following a decisive election victory.

• Prime Ministerial Journey: He was the first leader to complete a democratically full four-year term in office. 

• His government launched policies like the 30-baht healthcare scheme, village development funds, and microfinance program One Tambon One Product (OTOP) in rural areas. 

• He also introduced measures to boost infrastructure, tourism, and economic growth. 

1. 1. He introduced the Student Loan Fund (SLF) and Income Contingency Loan (ICL) programs to help students from low-income families access higher education.
   2. Human rights groups condemned his war on drugs in 2003, which led to thousands of extrajudicial killings. Allegations of corruption, conflict of interest, and misuse of authority grew during his office term. 
   3. His family’s business dealings became a target of public debate, especially when Shin Corporation was sold to foreign investors in 2006, sparking protests. 
   4. On 19 September 2006, the military staged a coup, removing him from office amid allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

The Shinawatra Family in Thai Politics

1. The Shinawatra family has produced three Prime Ministers: Thaksin, Yingluck, and Paetongtarn. 
2. Each of them came to power with strong popular backing but later faced removal from office through judicial rulings or military interventions. 
3. His younger sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, became the first female Prime Minister of Thailand in 2011.
   1. She introduced the rice subsidy scheme, which bought rice from farmers at higher prices to support rural incomes. 
   2. The program won praise in rural areas but placed a huge financial burden on the national budget. 
   3. By 2013–2014, large-scale protests erupted in Bangkok against her government. 
   4. In May 2014, the Constitutional Court ousted Yingluck due to charges of power misuse.
   5. Shortly after, the military seized power through a coup. Yingluck went into exile.
4. Thaksin’s daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, rose as a new face of the family in politics. 
   1. She became Prime Minister in 2024, becoming the youngest person in Thailand to hold the office.
   2. Her leadership was seen as a continuation of her father’s political influence. 
   3. In July 2025, controversy struck when her phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen was leaked. 
   4. During the call, she referred to him as “uncle” at a time when Thailand and Cambodia were in dispute over ancient temples along the border. 
   5. The opposition accused her of showing weakness toward Cambodia and undermining the military. 
   6. On 1 July 2025, the Constitutional Court dismissed her from office, citing violation of political ethics.

Current Prime Minister of Thailand 

Anutin Charnvirakul has become the new Prime Minister of Thailand after securing a majority in parliament in September 2025. He leads the Bhumjaithai Party and previously served as a minister in Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s government. He also held the post of Thailand’s Health Minister in the past, where he managed public health policies. His appointment marks a significant shift in the political landscape after the Shinawatra family’s recent turmoil.

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