File photo courtesy: TNA-MCOT

 

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned home after 15 years in self-imposed exile, footed the bill for his entire six-month stay at the Police General Hospital amid allegations of privileged treatment.

 

Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong confirmed these details during a House committee inquiry into claims that Thaksin received preferential healthcare as a prisoner.

 

The inquiry follows suspicions his transfer to the hospital from Bangkok Remand Prison was less about health concerns and more about avoiding incarceration.

 

According to Minister Tawee, Thaksin paid 8,500 baht per night for his private room and covered all medical expenses. Despite the hospital’s involvement in the universal healthcare programme he introduced as Prime Minister, Thaksin chose to pay out of pocket.

 

Thaksin, who returned to Thailand on 22 August 2023, was sentenced to an eight-year prison term, later reduced to one year through a royal pardon, for abuse of power and conflict of interest during his time as Prime Minister before 2006.

On his first night in the Bangkok Remand Prison, corrections doctors determined his medical condition required a transfer.

 

Minister Tawee disclosed Thaksin’s hospitalization was justified due to a “complex” condition, too challenging for prison facilities.

 

He had received all of Thaksin’s medical records, including payment receipts, but stressed these documents could only be released with Thaksin’s consent.

 

The committee sought transparency about who authorized his transfer and the specific health reasons, citing the public's right to know.

 

Despite public scrutiny, Minister Tawee maintained Thaksin’s stay and guarded hospital room adhered to safety protocols, given past assassination attempts, with full visitor logs available for review, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2024-11-23

 

 

Don't most people pay for their hotel stays? Doesn't seem like news.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned home after 15 years in self-imposed exile, footed the bill for his entire six-month stay at the Police General Hospital amid allegations of privileged treatment.

Is this option open to anyone who does not want to be incarcerated in the normal cells with the ordinary people ?... ....LOL

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The inquiry follows suspicions his transfer to the hospital from Bangkok Remand Prison was less about health concerns and more about avoiding incarceration.

"Suspicions"?

Which costs??? he never really stayed there maybe 3 nights

1 hour ago, webfact said:

footed the bill for his entire six-month stay at the Police General Hospital amid allegations of privileged treatment.

 

Indeed, it was privileged, he stayed out of jail, bastard.

The people with money, who think it´s all about money. This has nothing to do with if he payed or the government payed his hospital bill. i t has nothing to do with money or what he pay or not pay for. It simply has to do with that he managed to stay out of jail, and instead be treated like a king in a VIP hospital room.

1 hour ago, Geoffggi said:

Is this option open to anyone who does not want to be incarcerated in the normal cells with the ordinary people ?... ....LOL

 

Maybe the question is: How often does this already happen?

Not every criminal is in public like Thaksin. There might be some cases with less publicity.

32 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Maybe the question is: How often does this already happen?

Not every criminal is in public like Thaksin. There might be some cases with less publicity.

All the time.

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned home after 15 years in self-imposed exile, footed the bill for his entire six-month stay

...yeah, with TAXPAYER money!

The main problem here is that his medical condition hasn't been disclosed to the public and will probably stay that way. 

 

Will Thaksin give permission for his long term stay medical condition?  Of course not.

What is the issue here?

I always have to pay all of the costs when I stay in a hospital here in Thailand.

 

Presumably he his also having plastic surgery. He certainly looks different in the photo in the main picture

 

Paid for with money from his loose change jar, a mere pittance not even worthy of thinking about. 

Of course he did  pull the other leg it’s got bells on !

No suprise here.  Personal physicians,  gourmet food, personal hairdresser why shoudn't he pay for the five star treatment he received. 

1.  Naam Jai,

2.  A drop in the bucket,     yes.. "a mere pittance" said Artisi

3.   MONGREL regardless

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Minister Tawee disclosed Thaksin’s hospitalization was justified due to a “complex” condition, too challenging for prison facilities.

 

A wondrous condition that didn't stop him from flying around the world the day before returning to Thailand, or traveling around the country giving speeches as soon as he was free. Truly complex.

"Minister Tawee disclosed Thaksin’s hospitalization was justified due to a “complex” condition, too challenging for prison facilities to believe."

There you go.

6 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Is this option open to anyone who does not want to be incarcerated in the normal cells with the ordinary people ?... ....LOL

 

 

Nope.

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who returned home after 15 years in self-imposed exile, footed the bill for his entire six-month stay at the Police General Hospital amid allegations of privileged treatment.

I bet he did... and some more on top.

6 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

Which costs??? he never really stayed there maybe 3 nights

The cost of producing invoices...

I suppose it was cheaper than privatising the department of corrections.

6 hours ago, dinsdale said:

"Suspicions"?

"Proof"?

8 hours ago, webfact said:

According to Minister Tawee, Thaksin paid 8,500 baht per night for his private room and covered all medical expenses. Despite the hospital’s involvement in the universal healthcare programme he introduced as Prime Minister, Thaksin chose to pay out of pocket.

Hmm, which makes Thaksin "more equal" than other prisoners; i.e., he got privileges that others probably won't get... 

To think that this is the guy whose 'war on drugs' when he was in office resulted in more than 2000 deaths the majority of which were entirely innocent. He should have been locked up for life years ago.

2 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

To think that this is the guy whose 'war on drugs' when he was in office resulted in more than 2000 deaths the majority of which were entirely innocent. He should have been locked up for life years ago.

 

Of those 2800 that died... how many would not be dead if they were not involved with drugs ?

 

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

 

Of those 2800 that died... how many would not be dead if they were not involved with drugs ?

 

More than half according to news reports at the time.

Just now, Thingamabob said:

More than half according to news reports at the time.

 

so half are not dead ?

Thaksin Shinawatra Covered His Entire 6-Month Hospital Cost

 

So that's the price of "Freedom" 'eh?  Ha ha ha ha ha!
Up next - Little sister takes a hospital stay after returning from Dubai.  Seriously - how can you not be cynical? 

6 hours ago, anchadian said:

The main problem here is that his medical condition hasn't been disclosed to the public and will probably stay that way. 

Will Thaksin give permission for his long term stay medical condition?  Of course not.

 

Perhaps it has something to do with his melanin levels? I have never seen a 75 year old with jet black coloured hair like his.