Global South Politics: Days after daughter’s ouster, Thaksin Shinawatra departs Thailand
Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister who has loomed over Thai politics for more than two decades, left the country on Thursday night for Dubai, days after his daughter was dismissed from the premiership and as he faces the prospect of being sent back to prison.
His abrupt exit came against the backdrop of an increasingly politically volatile Thailand, where the parliament prepares to choose a leader to replace Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was removed from office on August 29 after the Constitutional Court found she had violated ethics rules.
Thailand’s Supreme Court is also set to rule on September whether Thaksin improperly avoided serving an eight-year sentence for abuse of power and conflicts of interest by staying in a hospital ward instead of a prison cell.
In a statement on Friday, Thaksin said he had initially intended to travel to Singapore but diverted to Dubai because of an airport closure. He added that he would see respiratory and orthopaedic doctors during his stay in the Middle East country, where he had spent 15 years in self-imposed exile.
Though Thaksin pledged to return by Tuesday to face the high court’s decision.
Whoever emerges as Thailand’s next prime minister will inherit a volatile landscape shaped by the military’s entrenched influence, the civilian government’s tainted record, and border tensions with Cambodia — the issue that ultimately led to Paetongtarn’s dismissal.
The Pheu Thai Party, which has won five of the past six elections, is fighting to reassert itself against Bhumjaithai, a former coalition partner that has gained momentum by securing support from the largest bloc in parliament.
That pledge has put Bhumjaithai’s leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, in a strong position heading into Friday’s parliamentary vote, where he must secure a majority in the lower house to claim the premiership.
In response, Pheu Thai nominated Chaikasem Nitisiri, a 77-year-old former justice minister and attorney general, vowing that if he becomes prime minister, he will call fresh elections immediately.
Purawich Watanasukh, a Thai political science lecturer, previously told Global South World that any new government would most likely be fragile.
“I can foresee that it will be a short-term government (next administration) to pave the way for the new election,” Watanasukh had said. “They will be in power for months, not a year. So, it is likely to be another transitional period.”
“Even when the new election is called. I don't think that it will produce a strong government because the constitution is purposely designed to create a multi-party system and an unstable government where you have a fragmented party system,” he added.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
