Former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra released from prison after eight months following court ruling

Thaksin Shinawatra, 76-year-old former Thai Prime Minister, was released from Klong Prem Central Prison on Monday after serving about eight months of a one-year sentence. A court had ruled he wrongfully stayed in hospital to avoid jail time.

Thaksin walked out around 7:40 a.m. local time and was immediately surrounded by family members, including his daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was sacked as prime minister by court order last August, weeks before his incarceration.

Thaksin remade and dominated Thai politics for a quarter-century, but his influence has waned following his jailing and his Pheu Thai Party's worst election performance on record earlier this year.