BANGKOK, Thailand — Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has officially become a free man after the Corrections Department removed his electronic monitoring device and issued his final discharge documents, marking the conclusion of his legal supervision following a recent royal pardon.

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The 76-year-old political figure was serving a one-year prison sentence for corruption and abuse of power. He had already been released on parole last month due to his advanced age and health conditions, which required him to wear an electronic ankle bracelet as a condition of his release. However, following his inclusion in the royal pardon granted on June 3 to mark the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Suthida, his remaining legal obligations have been entirely erased.

The Corrections Department confirmed that officials visited Thaksin’s residence to remove the tracking device and formally hand over his certificate of discharge. While the removal of such monitoring equipment typically takes place at a designated corrections office, authorities made a special accommodation to process the former premier at his home. The department emphasized that the application of the royal pardon and the subsequent removal of all supervisory conditions were executed in strict accordance with the same standards applied to all other eligible parolees. Consequently, Thaksin is no longer subject to criminal punishment, parole supervision, or any related legal restrictions stemming from his previous convictions.

Former inmate Thaksin Shinawatra has had his electronic monitoring (EM) ankle bracelet removed on Tuesday after legal procedures linked to a royal pardon were completed.

According to reports, the former PM is expected to travel to Dubai later this month for personal business… pic.twitter.com/0WKMs3FtFR

— Khaosod English (@KhaosodEnglish) June 9, 2026

With his legal constraints lifted, the former prime minister is now preparing for international travel. His youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, recently announced that her father plans to depart for Dubai before the end of June. The trip is highly anticipated as it is expected to facilitate a rare family reunion with his younger sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, who also served as prime minister. Yingluck has been living in self-imposed exile since 2017, having fled Thailand just before a court sentenced her in absentia to five years in prison over her administration’s handling of the controversial rice-pledging scheme.

Following his time in the United Arab Emirates, Thaksin is also slated to travel to London. The United Kingdom holds significant personal history for the Shinawatra family, as they resided there for a portion of their years in exile before Thaksin’s eventual return to Thailand to face his legal proceedings.

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The conclusion of Thaksin’s parole and his upcoming travels mark a significant new chapter for the influential political patriarch, whose legal battles and subsequent return to Thailand have heavily shaped the nation’s political landscape over the past year. As he transitions back to full private citizenship, his movements and the broader political implications of his freedom will continue to be closely monitored by both domestic observers and the international community.

-Thailand News (TN)