BANGKOK, Thailand – Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra reported to Bangkok Probation Office 1 on Thursday, May 28, for his first official check-in since being released on parole earlier this month. Arriving in a two-tone Mercedes-Maybach shortly after 2 p.m., Thaksin appeared cheerful as he greeted reporters and supporters gathered outside the office. Observers noted he was still wearing an electronic monitoring (EM) bracelet on his left ankle as part of the conditions attached to his parole.
The former premier, dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt and dark jeans, briefly told reporters, “Good, nothing much,” when asked about his health before heading inside with his lawyer, Winyat Chatmontree. His visit lasted around 10 minutes. Upon leaving, Thaksin hugged and thanked Red Shirt supporters who had been waiting since the morning to encourage him. Asked how the first probation report went after not being seen publicly for 17 days, Thaksin smiled and replied, “Like an old man,” before adding in English, “Today was just a formality.” Thaksin was granted parole on May 11 after serving two-thirds of his one-year sentence and will remain under probation conditions, including EM monitoring, until September 9. (TNA)
