Thaksin among beneficiaries of royal pardon

The pardon was among those announced by the Royal Gazette on Saturday. It stated that a Royal Decree was issued to grant a royal pardon to around 50,000 inmates on the auspicious occasion of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn's 6th Cycle Birthday Anniversary on July 28, 2024. 

In a royal command, the King aims to provide these individuals with a chance to reintegrate into society as good citizens, which is believed to benefit the nation as a whole. 

The decree also provides sentence reductions to more than 200,000 prisoners who are currently serving time. According to the Department of Corrections, Thailand has 220,094 prisoners as of August 16, 2024, with 192,898 men and 27,196 women. 

Notably, Thaksin will be among those released immediately under the terms of this decree, allowing him to leave prison before his sentence expires on August 31. 

Thaksin, a probationer, is one of about 7,500 people nationwide who will benefit from this royal pardon, which allows them to be released and receive a certificate of innocence upon leaving prison.