Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra Granted Full Royal Pardon
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has received a royal pardon. Consequently, Thaksin, who was already out on parole, will be fully released from the remainder of the prison sentence imposed upon him.
The Thai King’s pardon for Thaksin, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Wednesday (3/6/2026), was announced by the Thai Minister of Justice, Lieutenant General Ruttapol Naowara, on Wednesday local time. Thaksin, who was embroiled in a series of cases including corruption, was originally scheduled to complete his sentence on 9 September this year, serving the remainder of his term under supervised parole.
Thaksin was granted parole last May after serving eight months of a one-year prison sentence related to corruption. Under the 2026 Royal Decree on Royal Pardons, any prisoner on parole with less than one year remaining on their sentence is eligible for release, provided they do not fall into specific disqualifying categories.
In his announcement, Ruttapol stated that the electronic monitoring bracelet, which Thaksin was required to wear while on parole, may be removed following the royal pardon. However, according to reports from the local media outlet Thai Enquirer, provincial committees must still complete the necessary administrative procedures to implement the royal decree.
This royal pardon ends the legal restrictions imposed on Thaksin following his return to Thailand in August 2023, after years of living in exile abroad. Thaksin, one of Thailand’s most influential and controversial political figures, began serving his prison sentence upon his arrival in Bangkok. His sentence was subsequently reduced through royal clemency. After serving eight months of his one-year sentence, he was released on parole on 11 May, subject to wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet and adhering to reporting requirements. The royal pardon officially terminates all parole obligations that Thaksin was required to fulfil several months before his sentence was due to expire in September.