Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was granted parole and released early Sunday from a Bangkok hospital where he had been serving a six-month sentence for corruption-related offenses. Thaksin, a prominent and controversial figure in Thai politics for the past two decades, left the Police General Hospital in a convoy just before sunrise, wearing a neck support. Arriving at his residence in western Bangkok shortly after, he was greeted with a homemade banner that read, 'Welcome home' and 'We've been waiting for this day for so long.'
Thaksin's political career was marked by highs and lows, serving as prime minister from 2001 until his ousting in a 2006 coup. Following his removal from office, he was found guilty of abusing his power and other offenses. After more than ten years in self-imposed exile, Thaksin returned to Thailand in August to serve his prison sentence, which was initially eight years but later commuted to one year by the King on September 1. Thaksin has maintained that his convictions were politically motivated.
