Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra visited a temple in Bangkok on Thursday in his first public appearance since being released on parole last February after being convicted of corruption and abuse of power.
The controversial billionaire, who was in power from 2001 until the 2006 coup, prayed at a temple in the Thai capital on Thursday morning before taking a private plane to Chiang Mai in the north, where he will spend three days.
After arriving in his hometown and political stronghold, he was greeted by his sister and her husband, then went to the park and neighborhood of his supporters.
"I have been waiting for him for 17 years," said Samnyang Kongbulparn from Surin province (northeast) at the park. For his part, Baisal, a taxi driver in Bangkok, said he had traveled to meet the former politician, whom he described as "the prime minister of my heart.
During his visit to his former stronghold, Thaksin will meet his family and supporters and pray at the graves of his loved ones.
Dozens of media were stationed outside the Bangkok temple where Thaksin prayed Thursday morning, accompanied by his daughter Paytongtarn, who now leads his party, and her husband.
The former prime minister returned from exile on August 22, 2023, after 15 years abroad, and was immediately arrested and held for a long time in a Bangkok police hospital due to health problems.
He was initially sentenced to eight years in prison for corruption and abuse of power.
But in September, he was pardoned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who commuted his sentence to one year in prison because of his age and health problems.
The return to Thailand of the owner of England's Manchester City Football Club came shortly after his Bo Thai Party swept to power at the head of a coalition government.
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