Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been transferred from prison to a hospital, just a day after he returned from a 15-year exile and began serving an 8-year sentence. Thaksin's return to Thailand coincided with a parliamentary vote that resulted in a party affiliated with him winning and forming a new government. This party, Pheu Thai, had entered a coalition with military parties that had previously removed them from power in 2014. The new Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, is set to receive a royal endorsement later today.

I firured out what happened in Thai politics:

1. The candidate of Thaksin's party is elected as new Prime Minister, and other parties agreed on the condition that Thaksin must return to Thailand for trial;

2. Thaksin agreed to return, but on the condition of having a medical… pic.twitter.com/vs3vRRWya9

— DaiWW (@BeijingDai) August 23, 2023

Thaksin's transfer to the hospital was due to health concerns, with reports of high blood pressure, low oxygen levels, and chest tightness. He had previously been identified as vulnerable due to his age and chronic health conditions. Thaksin's imprisonment is a result of several criminal convictions made in his absence, which he alleges were politically motivated. The return of Thaksin and the formation of the Pheu Thai-led government marks another chapter in Thailand's long history of political divisions.

Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, has consistently garnered support from the mostly poor, rural majority in the north, while facing opposition from royalists, the military, and their urban backers. There is speculation that Thaksin's return was motivated by the hope that a friendly government would reduce his sentence. However, he has maintained that his decision was unrelated to Pheu Thai's bid for power and that he is prepared to follow the legal process. The outgoing government has stated that Thaksin can request a royal pardon like any other inmate.