Ombudsman sets 30-day deadline for explanation on Thaksin’s extended hospital stay

Ombudsman gives DOC and related agencies 30 days to explain Thaksin’s 6-month hospital stay amid claims of special treatment.

Chief Ombudsman Somsak Suwansujarit has announced that the Department of Corrections (DOC) and other relevant agencies have been given 30 days to explain the decision that allowed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to stay in hospital for six months rather than serve time in prison.

NHRC Petitions Ombudsman Over Preferential Treatment Allegations

Somsak was responding to a petition filed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which requested the Ombudsman to ask the Central Administrative Court to retroactively annul the DOC's order permitting Thaksin to stay at Police General Hospital (PGH) instead of Bangkok Remand Prison.The petition, submitted on 18 April, alleges that Thaksin received preferential treatment, raising concerns about inequality in the justice system.

Agencies Required to Submit Written Explanations

Somsak stated that the Ombudsman’s Office is in the process of notifying the DOC and other concerned agencies to submit written information within 30 days for further consideration.

Once the Ombudsman receives all the required documentation, the case could then be referred to the Administrative Court.

“If the agencies provide sufficient information, there will be no need to summon them for testimony,” Somsak added.NHRC May Be Asked for Further Details

When asked whether the NHRC's intent was for Thaksin to be retroactively imprisoned if the hospital stay order were nullified, Somsak said he had yet to fully review the petition’s details.

He noted that the Ombudsman would also request additional information from the NHRC to ensure all relevant facts are taken into account.

Multiple Agencies Under Scrutiny

The DOC, Correctional Hospital, and Police General Hospital will all be asked to submit explanations regarding Thaksin’s extended hospitalisation.

Somsak acknowledged feeling the pressure of public scrutiny, given the high-profile nature of the case, but expressed confidence that all agencies would cooperate fully.

Background on Thaksin's Case

Thaksin returned from self-imposed exile in August 2023. Upon his return, he was ordered to serve an eight-year prison sentence but was transferred to PGH on the same night he arrived at Bangkok Remand Prison.

He remained at PGH for six months, after which he was granted parole. During his hospital stay, a royal pardon commuted his sentence to one year, which he completed under parole at his residence.

(2025/04/24-00:00)