Thailand's populist former prime minister, who holds a Montenegrin passport, Thaksin Shinawatra, arrived in Bangkok yesterday after more than 15 years in exile as his party returned to power in a controversial alliance with military rivals, preventing reformists from taking control of the country.
Thaksin, an extremely influential but also controversial politician, began serving an eight-year prison sentence yesterday, although analysts point out that due to his party's return to power, he could avoid serving the full sentence.
Hours after Thaksin's return, tycoon Sreta Tavisin of Thaksin's PTP party secured enough support in parliament to be elected prime minister. He will form a government with pro-monarchist parties linked to the former generals who led the coup against him.
The young, reformist "Move Forward" party promised to remove the military from politics and amend a tough defamation law after winning elections in May, but was prevented from forming a government by military senators appointed by the military.
Thaksin arrived in Bangkok yesterday wearing royal insignia and appeared only briefly in front of reporters accompanied by his three children, before being taken to court and jail.
The "Guardian" writes that a crowd of mostly older supporters gathered near the airport, chanting "We love Thaksin." Many traveled throughout the night to witness his return.
The Supreme Court announced that Thaksin was sentenced to eight years in prison, although there is widespread speculation that he will avoid the full sentence.
On Tuesday afternoon, authorities said Thaksin had undergone a medical examination and was found to have heart and lung problems, high blood pressure and spinal problems.
Under existing rules for convicts, Thaksin has the right to apply for a royal pardon during his first day in prison.
Reuters points out that for the rural masses, Thaksin is beloved as the first leader to pay attention to the needs of the millions who live outside the bright lights of Bangkok. On the other hand, for many in the urban middle class and within the royal elite, Thaksin is a corrupt capitalist who plundered the economy while in power from 2001 until he was overthrown in a military coup.
The military seized power in Thailand twice, while political parties linked to Thaksin were regularly disbanded and prolonged street protests paralyzed Bangkok. A deadly military crackdown on Thaksin's supporters in 2010 resulted in the deaths of more than 90 people.
Media organizations claim that under his leadership there was a gradual collapse of media freedom. A 2003 war on drugs that killed 2.500 people raised his profile as a crime fighter but sparked outrage among rights groups who argued he was cracking down on civil liberties.
After the coup, he lived in exile to avoid legal charges he previously called politically motivated, including a conviction in absentia for corruption.
For many of his supporters, it is unthinkable for the PTP party to ally itself with rivals linked to the military. "Why did we fight?" activist Sombat Bungam-anong told The Guardian.
Dr. Punchada Sirivunabud, from Mihidol University, said that such a political agreement is unprecedented, considering the scale of the differences in the ideologies of the two parties, which, according to him, will destroy PTP in the next elections. Key party figures promised during the election campaign that they would not reach an agreement with the generals.
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