Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, 76, will be granted parole on May 11 next year, according to the Thailand Department of Corrections. His one-year sentence for corruption was reduced due to his advanced age and having less than twelve months of remaining sentence. He must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet until the end of the probation period.
Electronic monitoring system for parolees 📡
The monitoring device Thaksin will use operates with GPS technology and real-time data transmission. These bracelets, made from water and impact-resistant polymers, include temperature and pulse sensors to verify that the wearer is alive and not attempting to remove it. The signal is sent to a central station that alerts authorities if the user leaves an authorized perimeter. In Thailand, this system was implemented in 2015 for non-violent crimes and has reduced recidivism by 23 percent.
Thaksin: from luxury exile to the homebody bracelet 😅
After years of living as a first-class nomad between Dubai and London, Thaksin will now have to get used to a less glamorous accessory: a bracelet that doesn't come off even for a shower. Of course, at least he won't have to worry about losing it in his mansion's pool, because it's waterproof. Thai justice shows that, even for the powerful, technology can be a constant reminder that there are things money can't buy.