PUBLISHED : 29 Dec 2024 at 16:03
Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra may soon qualify for out-of-prison detention if her five-year jail sentence is reduced by one year. This announcement comes from the chief of Thailand’s Department of Corrections, who indicated that a new regulation possibly starting next month could benefit convicts with sentences of up to four years.
The director-general clarified that Yingluck, who has been a fugitive since August 2017, might seek a royal pardon immediately upon entering prison to have her term commuted. If granted, this could make her eligible for home detention, which would require the surveillance of CCTV and potential electronic monitoring.
This new regulation will not apply to those convicted of sexual offenses, violent crimes, or serious drug-related offenses, according to the department.
Yingluck has been evading authorities since failing to appear in court, facing charges linked to a rice-pledging program that resulted in substantial financial losses. Her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, has expressed optimism about her return to Thailand in April next year. Thaksin himself returned last year, serving time before being granted parole.
