Key facts
- Thaksin Shinawatra has been officially declared a free man by Thailand's Department of Corrections.
- The former prime minister received a royal pardon less than a week prior to his official release.
- Thaksin Shinawatra was released on parole last month due to his age and health.
- He served eight months of a one-year sentence for corruption and abuse of power.
- A condition of his release is wearing an electronic monitoring device.
Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has officially been declared a free man by the Department of Corrections, less than a week after receiving a royal pardon. The 76-year-old telecoms billionaire had served eight months of a one-year sentence for corruption and abuse of power before his release on parole last month, which was granted due to his age and health.
As a condition of his release, Shinawatra is required to wear an electronic monitoring device. The news of his official freedom comes as he reportedly faces a new multimillion-dollar tax battle.