Thai king commutes former PM Thaksin’s prison sentence to one year

Despite being away for 15 years, Thaksin remains an influential figure in Thai policies with parties loyal to him winning every election since 2001 until this year.

Thailand’s king has commuted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s eight-year prison sentence to one year, the royal gazette said on Friday, a day after the billionaire submitted a request for pardon.