Jailed former Thai PM Thaksin gets extension to hospital stint

Thailand’s jailed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been allowed to remain in hospital for medical treatment, the corrections department said on Thursday, citing the need to continue to closely monitor his health.
The billionaire figurehead of the ruling Pheu Thai Party has been in hospital since his return in August from 15 years of self-imposed exile, after complaining of chest tightness and high blood pressure within hours of arriving at a Bangkok jail to serve eight years for abuse of power.
Thaksin’s sentence was commuted to one year following a royal pardon and he is eligible for parole late next month. The corrections department said he should continue to receive specialist care.
It said in a statement, “If something flares up that could be life-threatening, then he could receive treatment right away.”
The 74-year-old populist has been at the heart of 17 years of on-off turmoil in Thailand, playing an overt role from exile in forming a succession of governments led by his family and business allies after his ousting by the military and conviction in absentia for conflicts of interest.