Thailand’s fugitive former premier, Thaksin Shinawatra, returned on Tuesday from 17 years in exile, a historic homecoming that coincides with a bid by his political allies to form a new government with some of its biggest rivals.
Thaksin, 74, arguably Thailand’s most famous politician and the fugitive figurehead of the populist movement Pheu Thai, appeared briefly with family members at Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport to greet lawmakers, smiling and waving to hundreds of ecstatic supporters, before returning to the terminal
On a social media post earlier as he boarded his plane in Singapore, his sister Yingluck said the “the day my brother has waited for has arrived”.
“For the past 17 years, you feel isolated, lonely, troubled and missing home but you persevered,” Yingluck, who also lives n self-exile, said in the post.
Thaksin fled abroad in 2008 to avoid a jail sentence for abuse of power, two years after the military toppled him alleging corruption and disloyalty to the monarchy, which he has vehemently refuted.
Police said he would arrested and taken directly to the Supreme Court for a hearing, before transferred to a prison.
Thaksin’s arrival came as the lower house and military-appointed Senate was convening to vote on prime ministerial candidate Srettha Thavisin, a real estate mogul thrust into politics by Pheu Thai just a few months ago.