Takin’ the mic! Thaksin pops up to preach on drugs
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has emerged from the shadows once again, this time turning up at the country’s top anti-narcotics office to lecture on drugs, all while dodging fresh rumours he’s planning another great escape.
The former Thai premier rocked up at the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) in Bangkok yesterday, May 27, brushing aside speculation he was about to flee Thailand ahead of a court hearing linked to his controversial hospital stay during a one-year jail sentence.
The 74 year old arrived in style at around 1.10pm, chauffeured in a private vehicle under tight escort. He had been invited by the ONCB to deliver a “special lecture” on drug suppression, a move that’s raised more than a few eyebrows given his brutal 2003 war on drugs.
Clad in a sharp black suit, white shirt, and a trademark pink tie, the smiling political heavyweight greeted reporters with a cheeky: “I’m old now, over 70 years old. Take it easy.”
Amid a media scrum, he doubled down: “I’m still living well, not fleeing anywhere.”
His appearance comes just weeks before the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions is set to examine the legality of his lengthy hospitalisation, with both Thaksin and his daughter, Prime Minister Paetongtarn, summoned to testify on June 13.
The elder Shinawatra only returned to Thailand in August 2023 after 15 years in self-imposed exile. Upon arrival, he was swiftly sentenced to eight years for abuse of power and conflict of interest dating back to his time in office from 2001 to 2006. That was later slashed to one year after royal clemency.
On his first night in custody, he was whisked off to Police General Hospital with supposed serious health problems and stayed there until being granted parole in February this year. The extended hospital stint sparked fury among critics, who slammed it as a case of VIP privilege, Bangkok Post reported.
Those concerns have since been backed up by the Medical Council of Thailand, which recommended disciplinary action against three doctors accused of exaggerating Thaksin’s condition. Public Health Minister Tawee Sodsong is now reviewing the case.
His sudden reappearance as a guest speaker on drug policy has only added fuel to the fire, given his dark legacy in the field. Thaksin’s 2003 anti-drug crackdown resulted in roughly 2,800 extrajudicial killings in just three months. A 2007 probe found more than half of those killed had no links to drugs whatsoever, according to Human Rights Watch.
Despite this, Justice Minister Pol Col Tawee Sodsong defended the move, saying Thaksin was invited in his capacity as an adviser to the ASEAN chair. The talk, titled Narcotics, Transnational Crime: Perspectives and Challenges for Sustainable Solutions, was chaired by Tawee and attended by top ministers and ONCB brass.
Among the key issues discussed was the rise in drug abuse in Thailand’s Deep South, with particular focus on the misuse of the kratom plant.
Thaksin may insist he’s not running but with the courtroom clock ticking, critics are watching every step.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
