Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra released on parole from police hospital

Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand, returned to the country in August after 15 years in self-imposed exile and was sentenced to eight years in prison for corruption and abuse of power. However, his sentence was reduced to one year by King Maha Vajiralongkorn due to his age and health concerns. Shinawatra spent six months in detention before being released on parole. He was seen leaving police General Hospital in Bangkok accompanied by his two daughters and wearing a neck support, a sling on his right arm, and a surgical mask. The articles report conflicting information regarding the length of Shinawatra's original sentence and the reason for his early release, with some stating it was due to a royal pardon request and others suggesting a deal with powerful royalists. Shinawatra served as prime minister from 2001 until 2006.