Bangkok [Thailand], August 23: Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was taken to hospital with high blood pressure due to being unable to sleep during his first night in prison, according to Reuters.
The information that Mr. Thaksin (74 years old) was hospitalized was confirmed by the Director of the Department of Correction of Thailand AyuthSintoppant to Reuters on August 23.
"The prison asked the doctors and nurses to diagnose him and they recommended to transfer him to the police hospital for the safety of the prisoners," Ayuth said. He added that there were eight guards accompanying Mr. Thaksin.
Previously, the Supreme Court of Thailand on August 22 sentenced Mr. Thaksin to 8 years in prison. This ruling concerns three cases in which Mr. Thaksin was sentenced in absentia.
In the aforementioned cases, Mr. Thaksin is accused of abuse of power, wrongdoing, illegally ordering a state-owned bank to provide foreign loans, and illegally possessing shares through others. .
Thaksin left Thailand 15 years ago, before being tried in absentia on charges of abuse of power. He was ousted by the military in a 2006 coup.
Although the sentence has been handed down, it is not clear how many years Thaksin will serve, according to AFP. Mr. Thaksin was taken to court shortly after returning home after years of exile abroad.
The plane carrying Mr. Thaksin landed at Don Mueang airport in the Thai capital Bangkok at around 9am on August 22 as scheduled. Thousands of supporters and key political figures, mostly from the Pheu Thai party , waited to greet him outside the airport's private jet terminal.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper