The Thai Criminal Court has allowed Thaksin Shinawatra to temporarily leave Thailand, requiring a 5-million-baht cash surety to ensure his return.
On Friday, the court permitted the former prime minister to visit Malaysia on Sunday and Monday.
Thaksin listed himself and Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa as witnesses, supporting his request with documents from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that validated his need to travel abroad.
The court mandated a 5 million baht cash deposit for bail and required him to report in person within three days of his return. He must also inform the Immigration Bureau upon re-entering the country.
“I am going for a meeting, not a vacation,” Thaksin stated to the press after exiting the courthouse.
His attorney, Winyat Chartmontri, mentioned that Thaksin is scheduled to participate in a meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Malaysia, which is currently chairing ASEAN.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has previously named Thaksin as an informal adviser on ASEAN matters.
Friday’s court session marked Thaksin’s initial request to travel overseas since his return to Thailand in August 2023, after 17 years of exile.
Upon his return to Thailand in August 2023, Thaksin received an eight-year prison sentence, which a royal pardon later reduced to one year.
He did not spend any time in jail but served his sentence at the Police General Hospital before being released on parole in February of the previous year. A royal pardon also expedited his release.
He currently faces charges related to lese-majeste and violations of the Computer Crime Act, requiring judicial approval for international travel.
The court has scheduled seven sessions in July of this year to review testimony concerning statements he made during a 2015 interview in South Korea.