Global InformationThaksin Shinawatra information
Thaksin Shinawatra | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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ทักษิณ ชินวัตร | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Thaksin in 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 23rd Prime Minister of Thailand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 9 February 2001 – 19 September 2006[note 1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Monarch | Bhumibol Adulyadej | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Chuan Leekpai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Sonthi Boonyaratglin (provisional) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 13 July 1995 – 8 November 1997 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister |
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| Minister of Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 14 June 2001 – 9 October 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Himself | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Kasem Watanachai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Suwit Khunkitti | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 25 October 1994 – 10 February 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Chuan Leekpai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Prasong Soonsiri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Krasae Chanawongse | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Special Economic Adviser of Cambodia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 4 November 2009 – 23 August 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prime Minister | Hun Sen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Position abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader of Thai Rak Thai Party | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 14 July 1998 – 2 October 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Chaturon Chaisang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of the House of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 6 February 2005 – 8 April 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Party-list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 6 January 2001 – 11 March 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Party-list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 2 July 1995 – 27 September 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Bangkok 2nd | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member-elect of the House of Representatives[note 2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In role 2 April 2006 – 8 May 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Constituency | Party-list | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 26 July 1949 San Kamphaeng, Chiang Mai, Thailand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality |
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| Political party | Pheu Thai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Thai Rak Thai (1998–2006)[2] Palang Dharma (1994–1998) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse |
Potjaman Na Pombejra
(m. 1976; div. 2008) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations |
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| Children |
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| Residence | Bangkok | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater |
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| Profession |
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| Net worth | US$2 billion (July 2022)[5] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Royal Thai Police | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  Thailand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Department | Metropolitan Police Bureau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service years | 1973–1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel (revoked in 2015) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 丘達新 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 丘达新 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Thaksin Shinawatra[note 3] (born 26 July 1949) is a Thai businessman and politician. He served in the Thai Police from 1973 to 1987, and was the Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006.
Thaksin founded the mobile phone operator Advanced Info Service and the IT and telecommunications conglomerate Shin Corporation in 1987, ultimately making him one of the richest people in Thailand. He founded the Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) in 1998 and, after a landslide electoral victory, became prime minister in 2001. He was the first democratically elected prime minister of Thailand to serve a full term and was re-elected in 2005 by an overwhelming majority.[citation needed]
Thaksin declared a "war on drugs" in which more than 2,500 people were killed. Thaksin's government launched programs to reduce poverty, expand infrastructure, promote small and medium-sized enterprises, and extend universal healthcare coverage. Thaksin took a strong-arm approach against the separatist insurgency in the Muslim southern provinces.[citation needed]
His decision to sell shares in his corporation for more than a billion tax-free dollars generated controversy. A citizens' movement against Thaksin, called People's Alliance for Democracy or "Yellow Shirts", launched mass protests, accusing him of corruption, abuse of power, and autocratic tendencies. In 2006 Thaksin called snap elections that were boycotted by the opposition and invalidated by the Constitutional Court.
Thaksin was deposed in a military coup on 19 September 2006. His party was outlawed and he was barred from political activity.[6] Thaksin lived in self-imposed exile for 15 years—except for a brief visit to Thailand in 2008—before returning to Thailand in August 2023. During his exile he was sentenced in absentia to two years in jail for abuse of power,[7] and stripped of his Police Rank of Police Lieutenant Colonel.[8]
From abroad, he continued to influence Thai politics through the People's Power Party that ruled in 2008 and its successor organisation Pheu Thai Party, as well as the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship or "Red Shirt" movement. His younger sister Yingluck Shinawatra was the prime minister of Thailand from 2011 to 2014.
Later in exile, Thaksin registered a Clubhouse account under the name Tony Woodsome, which became his moniker, and frequently held activities on the platform.[citation needed] He also made several announcements expressing his desire to return to Thailand on various social media platforms.[citation needed] Ultimately, Thaksin returned to Thailand on 22 August 2023, and was promptly taken into custody.[9]
Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Reuters-20100317was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Deposed Thai PM quits party role". CNN. 3 October 2006.
- ^ "Thailand's deposed PM divorces wife". Channel NewsAsia. 15 November 2008. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2008.
- ^ "From Bangkok to Manchester". 25 May 2007.
- ^ "Thaksin Shinawatra". Forbes. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- ^ "Thaksin Shinawatra: from billionaire to fugitive ex-prime minister". The Guardian. 26 February 2010.
- ^ MacKinnon, Ian (21 October 2008). "Former Thai PM Thaksin found guilty of corruption". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
- ^ https://library.parliament.go.th/sites/default/files/assets/files/give-take/content_ncpo/NALT-ncpo-head-order26-2558.pdf
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:0was invoked but never defined (see the help page).