Thaksin Shinawatra: Thailand's First Ex-Premier in Prison - A Historic Turn of Events

Thailand's political landscape underwent a dramatic shift as former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was incarcerated following a Supreme Court ruling. His brief hospital detention, deemed an attempt to dodge prison, ended with a scene-stealing verdict that rattled the country's political foundation.

Despite claims of severe health issues, the court found Thaksin's hospital stay unnecessary, marking him as Thailand's first ex-premier to be jailed. The decision came amid political upheaval after Thaksin-backed governments fell, including the dismissal of his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra as prime minister.

Thaksin, whose influence in Thai politics spanned over 25 years, accepted the verdict, expressing resilience and committing to his political role. Observers remain skeptical about his full year in jail, given the possibility of legal sentence reductions, suggesting the political saga is far from over.

(With inputs from agencies.)