Thaksin returned to Thailand on a private plane on the afternoon of September 8, a day before the Supreme Court ruled on whether his prison sentence could be carried out correctly.
He left Thailand for Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a Bombardier Global 7500 rocket with the rear registration number T7GTS on September 4, fuelling speculation that he would leave the country to avoid being imprisoned if the court ruled against him.
He flew to Singapore on September 7 and arrived at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok on the afternoon of September 8, where he was welcomed by his younger sister Yaowapa and her husband, former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.
His Mercedes-Maybach arrived at the airport at 2:58 p.m. and left at 3:05 p.m.
Mr. Thaksin arrived at court at 10:00 a.m. on September 9 to listen to the Supreme Court's verdict on his case.
Thaksin, 76, returned home on 22 August 2023, after more than 15 years of voluntarily living in captivity abroad. The actual leader of the Pheu Thai Party was immediately sentenced to 8 years in prison in 3 cases for abusing power and conflicts of interest while still in office as prime minister. His sentence was later reduced to 1 year in prison thanks to a royal pardon.
After being sentenced, Thaksin was taken to Bangkok Detention Center, but he only stayed there for 13 hours before being transferred to the Police General Hospital.
He was in a senior ward on the 14th floor of the hospital for six months until his pardon in early 2024 amid allegations that he was being treated separately by the authorities.
There are three possibilities after today's ruling.
First, if the transfer to the hospital is considered legal, and the court agrees that Mr. Thaksin is actually ill and is transferred according to the correct procedures, Mr. Thaksin and other relevant officials will not be imprisoned.
Second, if the court finds that the caregivers and doctors at the Police General Hospital have handled the case incorrectly without Mr. Thaksin's participation, they will be punished, while Mr. Thaksin avoids further consequences.
Third, if the court finds that the transfer of Mr. Thaksin was based on a fake file, and Mr. Thaksin is not actually seriously ill, officials and doctors will face criminal charges, while Mr. Thaksin could be forced to serve a sentence shorter than the original sentence. However, if the court discovers any fraudulent intentions, the original 8-year prison sentence could be reinstated.
Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the opposition and the People's Party, stressed that Mr. Thaksin should accept the court's decision, regardless of the outcome, because the public wants to see him held accountable for his actions.
About 100 police from Chana Songkhram Police Station and the Riot Control Unit were deployed to maintain order in court. The court has designated specific areas for the press, and only registered media outlets are allowed to attend the trial.
