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Thailand’s former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has returned to Thailand after more than 15 years of self-imposed exile. Upon his arrival, Thaksin was taken to the Supreme Court, where he was sentenced to eight years in connection with three separate cases. However, it remains unclear how much time he will actually serve.

Thaksin’s return coincides with a vote in Parliament on the formation of a new government, in which his Pheu Thai party is expected to take the lead. Speculation suggests that his return is linked to the party’s pursuit of power.

Thaksin, aged 74, earned billions of dollars through his ventures in the telecommunications industry. He first became prime minister in 2001, by promoting populist policies, and was reelected in 2005. However, he was overthrown by the military in 2006, and since then, he has been living in exile to avoid corruption and abuse of office charges that he believes are politically motivated. Despite his absence, he has remained a significant figure in Thai politics.

In 2011, Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck, became the prime minister, but her government was also removed by a military coup in 2014. Thaksin’s return after many years in exile has generated considerable attention and speculation about his future role in Thai politics.

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