Welcome back to the Land of Smiles, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, former prime minister of Thailand, whose arrival at the illustrious Don Mueang airport on the 22nd of August, 2023, was a mosaic of emotions and colorful banners—a festive tableau rarely seen in the corridors of transit. As supporters thronged, cheering and waving, Thaksin was undoubtedly touched by the resounding welcome after years in self-imposed exile. (Photo credit: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Now, let’s wade through the currents of correctional nuances, where the honorable Department of Corrections is weaving a narrative tapestry, now asking the populace to address Mr. Thaksin not as an inmate, but rather, as any other free-roaming member of society. This subtle linguistic shift, outlined in a Tuesday press release devoid of a personal spokesperson’s attribution, is a masterclass in etiquette straight from the corridors of the Corrections Act.
Indeed, the department has taken great pains to enlighten us: ‘Inmate’ is a term reserved for the thick walls and watchful eyes of the prison, not for the whispers of the outside world. When one steps out of the shadows of the cell, they should be cloaked in the respectability of ‘Mr,’ ‘Mrs,’ or ‘Miss’—a cloak that even extends to the sterile environment of a hospital’s medical records.
Now, imagine with me, if you will, the perpetual brand, a digital tattoo, if ‘inmate’ were to slip through our lips or spill out from our keyboards—a brand that could ensnare someone in a web of social media perpetuity. The Department of Corrections cautions against such an indelible stamp, guarding the human rights and social rehabilitation of all who have served their time.
Mr. Thaksin, now at the venerable age of 74, made his momentous return to Thai soil last year, ending a 15-year saga of absence. Wading into the welcoming arms of the justice system, he owns a past embroidered with the stark patterns of convictions—corruption, abuse of authority—legacy of a premiership disrupted by military coup in 2006.
Upon his grand return that day, a turn of events saw him swiftly sentenced; yet, as fortune’s wheel spins, a royal clemency truncated an eight-year sentence to a mere year—a fleeting shadow of its former self. Alas, on that very night, from remand to hospital bed, Bangkok’s former lord mayor journeyed, citing health reasons, and has been cradled in the care of medical expertise ever since.
Whispers of corridors echo with a senator’s musings of imminent release—could the next month mark the end of this chapter? The question dangles, ripe with anticipation.
Be First to Comment