Thaksin moved from prison to a hospital less than a day after his return to Thailand from exile

By JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI
Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s divisive former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been transferred from prison to a hospital less than a day after he returned from 15 years of exile and started serving an 8-year sentence. He returned to Thailand on the same day that a party linked to him won a parliamentary vote to form a new government. Corrections officials said Thaksin had high blood pressure and low oxygen, could not sleep and felt tightness in his chest. Doctors recommended he be transferred to prevent life-threatening risks. Hours after Thaksin’s return to Thailand, Pheu Thai party candidate Srettha Thavisin secured enough votes to become prime minister. Srettha received a royal endorsement that officially appointed him as prime minister on Wednesday.