Sibling surprise: Thailand’s ex-PMs special guests at Cambodian PM’s birthday bash
Thailand’s ex-prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, and his younger sibling, Yingluck, were notable guests at Cambodian PM’s birthday bash in Phenom Penh at the weekend.
Fresh News and The Phnom Penh Post reported yesterday that the 74 year old Thaksin, and his 56 year old sister Yingluck graced the 71st birthday festivities of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in Ta Khmao, Cambodia. The former Thai prime ministers made a brief visit to the country, spending a single night to partake in the celebration.
In a recent announcement on Saturday, Thaksin conveyed his plans to delay his return to Thailand from August 10 for about two weeks due to pending medical check-ups. Shinawatra, whose background lies in telecommunications, took to the popular social media platform Twitter to inform followers of his upcoming health checkup, which resulted in the need for him to reschedule his original plan to return to Thailand.
Having been overthrown by a coup in September 2006, Thaksin, for the most part, has lived in a self-imposed exile. He briefly came back to Thailand in 2008, only to flee once more prior to the Supreme Court’s ruling sentencing him for conflict of interest during his time as prime minister.
He has been subject to further prosecutions and Wissanu Krea-ngam, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister, recently stated that the three final verdicts amount to a total of ten years of imprisonment for Thaksin, who is the founder of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai, reported Bangkok Post.
His daughter, Paetongtarn, is currently a prime ministerial candidate for the Pheu Thai Party, which are in the process of establishing a new government following the general elections on May 14.
His sister, Yingluck, also a former PM, left Thailand in 2017 just before the Supreme Court found her guilty and sentenced her to five years imprisonment for her failure to stop her government’s corruption-riddled rice-pledging initiative.
