The family visited Thaksin at the prison and revealed that regarding sentence reduction in May, "father" advised following the regulations. The lawyer believes the appeal on the Section 112 case will not affect the sentence reduction.
At Klong Prem Central Prison at 10:00 a.m. on 19 Jan 2026, Mr. Panthongtae Shinawatra, Ms. Natthiya Puangkam, his wife, Ms. Pinthongta Shinawatra Kunakornwong, and Mr. Natthapong Kunakornwong, her husband, represented the family in visiting Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra. They came accompanied by Mr. Winyat Chatmontri, Thaksin's personal lawyer.
After about one hour of visiting Mr. Thaksin inside the prison, Ms. Pinthongta revealed that today's conversation with her father went well. Her father has been adapting, having been inside for over four months now.
Regarding reports from the Department of Corrections that Mr. Thaksin may be considered for general sentence reduction in May, Ms. Pinthongta said she discussed this with her father. He only said to let the process proceed correctly and by the rules so it will end properly. Moreover, since he is over 70 years old, he should receive consideration for this right according to regulations.
As the general election of 2026 approaches, Mr. Natthapong said his father continues to support candidates from the Pheu Thai Party and has no special remarks.
Mr. Winyat said that news about Mr. Thaksin being considered for general sentence reduction around May fits the legal timeframe. The benefits for prisoners follow this timeline because when calculated, Mr. Thaksin's detention will reach eight months on 8 May. Detention of eight months meets the Department of Corrections' rule that if two-thirds of the sentence has been served and only one-third remains, the prisoner qualifies for consideration. The department and prison conduct a survey of inmates, and Mr. Thaksin is among those assessed for eligibility. If eligible, the prison asks the inmate whether they want to exercise the right to sentence reduction. Not all inmates choose to, but in Mr. Thaksin's case, since he has the right, he must express his wish to receive it. Sentence reduction means release on probation, which comes with conditions such as residing in a place under the supervision of a guardian, like a home or registered residence. Leaving the area requires permission from officials, and other conditions may apply.
Therefore, he believes that when asked by the media whether Mr. Thaksin will receive sentence reduction in May, it likely will happen if it follows the law. He also believes Mr. Thaksin deserves this right. Whether the application for sentence reduction is submitted by the inmate or surveyed by the prison, usually the prison does the survey based on existing data, which must be verified by various parties. After surveying, the prison asks inmates, and if they express their desire, their qualifications are submitted for consideration by the Sentence Reduction Committee. Serving eight months before sentence reduction differs from serving six months in that no score evaluation or assessments of illness or self-care are needed. Serving eight months aligns with the law, and since Mr. Thaksin is over 70, this is appropriate.
Mr. Winyat said it is the prisoner's right; Mr. Thaksin is not using any privilege or pressuring officials for special treatment. Regarding whether the probation location will be Baan Jan Song La as before, this depends on who will act as guardian. If the guardian's residence is somewhere, the probation location must be there. Previously, when Mr. Thaksin was hospitalized at Police General Hospital, the probation location was his current home. It is expected to be the same next time for convenience.
Regarding Red Shirt supporters still awaiting Mr. Thaksin's return after hearing about the possible general sentence reduction in May, Mr. Thaksin is aware and happy, as are all prisoners counting the days. As mentioned, his morale is good, supported by the public, especially those concerned about him—not only the Red Shirts but also the general public following his news. This support is very important to him. He is managing and adapting well, taking good care of his health. He is aware of the recent tragedies and has sent his condolences.
Mr. Winyat added that concerning the progress in the Section 112 case, where Mr. Thaksin faces an appeal ordered by the current Attorney General, he submitted a letter to the Attorney General around 26 Dec 2025 seeking justice. He believes the relevant prosecutors or the Attorney General's Office will respond. If not, he will follow up. The letter challenges the legality of the Attorney General's discretionary power, which he believes is unreasonable and unlawful, citing precedent cases. Although the Attorney General has filed the appeal and the court has informed Mr. Thaksin via a copy of the appeal at the prison, Mr. Winyat is drafting a response and organizing meetings to counter the appeal within the timeframe, or he will request an extension if needed.
Regarding the letter submitted to the current Attorney General, Mr. Winyat said he wants the Attorney General to consider whether his exercise of power is lawful. At that time, the Attorney General was Deputy Attorney General and chaired the Section 112 case review committee. This committee was legally formed, so the rules and resolutions of meetings must be respected, even if the Attorney General claims he did not vote. Mr. Winyat intends to obtain and present each member's voting opinions to the court and will use all rights to request all related documents.
When asked if the Attorney General's appeal on the Section 112 case would affect Mr. Thaksin's general sentence reduction in May amid concerns about possible continued detention, Mr. Winyat said everyone should understand that Mr. Thaksin has fought this case and the court acquitted him, finding him innocent. Conversely, if he had been convicted and sentenced to prison, bail could be revoked or detention extended during appeal. However, since Mr. Thaksin was acquitted, the appeal is merely a legal process, and he should not be detained again or need to apply for bail. Mr. Winyat believes this process involves a court order, known as a green warrant. Without such a warrant, there is no basis to detain him further. In summary, he believes the appeal will not impact Mr. Thaksin's sentence reduction.