BANGKOK - Thailand’s newly freed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra met prosecutors on Feb 19, a day after his high-profile release from detention, to discuss allegations he insulted the powerful monarchy, during which he appeared “truly ill”, an official said.

The influential billionaire, who has loomed large over Thai politics for two decades, was released on parole on Feb 18 after six months in hospital detention – his first day of freedom in his homeland 15 years after fleeing in the wake of his overthrow in a military coup.

It is unclear what health issues Mr Thaksin is suffering from, and details have not been disclosed by doctors or his family.

Mr Thaksin was seen at the prosecutor’s office wearing a neck brace and using a wheelchair, a day after his pre-dawn release from hospital, where he was seen in a vehicle and in photographs shared by his family with his arm in a heavily padded sling.

“I spoke to him and he barely had any voice. From what I can see, he is truly ill,” Mr Preecha Sudsanguan, director-general of the office of litigation, said at a press conference.

“He had a neck brace and a sling on the arm, and he couldn’t really walk,” he added.

Mr Thaksin, 74, was paroled with conditions, on account of his age, health and time served.

His eight-year sentence for abuse of power and conflicts of interest was commuted by the Thai King to one year soon after he went into detention.

Pheu Thai, a party controlled by the Shinawatra family, is currently in power, and critics have complained about Mr Thaksin’s lenient treatment and questioned the severity of his health problems.

Mr Ramet Rattanashaweng, a spokesman for the opposition Democrat Party, said: “From now, anyone in detention can say they have Thaksin’s disease because once you have this, you can go get treatment anywhere.”

Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai defended Mr Thaksin and said it was normal for someone of his age to need a neck brace and sling.

“For a person who is sick, we should give encouragement rather than trying to accuse him of pretending.”

Celebrated homecoming

Mr Thaksin made a dramatic return in August 2023, showing no signs of poor health as he emerged from his private jet to greet supporters and family, before being escorted away by police who saluted him as he arrived.

But he was transferred to a hospital on his first night in jail as he complained of chest pains.

In 2023, doctors said that he had high blood pressure, heart issues and back pains that affected his balance, for which he underwent surgery, and that he was easily tired due to fibrosis in the lungs, having earlier been infected with Covid-19.

The Attorney-General’s Office said more investigation was needed before deciding whether to indict Mr Thaksin for insulting the crown.

The complaint, made by the military that ousted his sister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government, stems from an interview Mr Thaksin gave while in exile in 2015.

Insulting the monarchy is a serious offence and a major slur in Thailand, where the Constitution states that the king must be held in a position of “revered worship”.

Hundreds of people have been prosecuted in recent years under Thailand’s lese majeste law, which is among the world’s strictest and carries a jail sentence of up to 15 years for each perceived insult.

Mr Thaksin has always pledged loyalty to the monarchy and had recently sent a plea letter to the authorities requesting fairness in the case.

Thailand’s best-known and most polarising premier, Mr Thaksin was a towering figure over Thai politics while in self-imposed exile to avoid jail for abuse of power, charges he maintained were cooked up by the country’s old guard to keep him at bay.

He is widely expected to exert some influence over the current government led by his allies, but has insisted he is retired.

The royal insult case against Mr Thaksin “is an important case because the person involved is an important person, the charge is serious, and the public has interest in it”, said Mr Prayut Petchkun, a spokesman for the Attorney-General’s Office.

Mr Thaksin will need to report back on April 10 to hear the office’s decision on the case, the spokesman said.

“Please be confident in the process that everything is based on the law and facts.” REUTERS