Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra left Thailand on Thursday for medical reasons, just before a parliamentary vote for the next prime minister and days ahead of a court ruling that could send him back to prison. His departure sparked intense speculation, with tens of thousands tracking his private jet online.
Initially, Thaksin planned to visit Singapore for a checkup, but delays at Thai immigration meant he missed the airport’s curfew and rerouted to Dubai, where he has long received medical care and previously lived in exile. He insisted he would return by Monday and attend court on Tuesday to hear the verdict in his ongoing legal case.
Thaksin has a long history of legal battles: he spent more than 15 years in self-imposed exile before returning in 2023 under a deal with the military-royalist establishment. Though sentenced to eight years in prison, the king reduced his sentence to one year, and Thaksin spent only a day in jail before moving to a hospital, later being released on parole.
His trip abroad comes amid political upheaval, as parliament prepares to vote on a new prime minister to replace his daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, with royalist Anutin Charnvirakul seen as the frontrunner.
Ratcliffe, R. (2025, September 5). Former PM Thaksin Shinawatra leaves Thailand days ahead of court ruling that could see him jailed. The Guardian.