(Bangkok, 29th) Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin participated in the Bangkok mayoral and city council elections on the 28th in Bangkok. This was his first time exercising his voting rights in nearly 20 years and his first time participating in an election since regaining his civic rights.
Thaksin was officially released on May 11 this year, being granted parole and returning home early after serving 8 months in prison.
According to Thai Headline News, after casting his vote, Thaksin was interviewed by the media, sharing his feelings and views on Bangkok's development.
Thaksin stated that he feels proud to be Thai and is very happy to once again fulfill his civic duty by taking part in the election. He recalled that the last time he participated in an election was 20 years ago. At that time, due to a dispute over whether to face towards or away from the ballot box during voting, he was eventually found to have violated the constitution. Therefore, when coming to vote this time, he felt both excited and nervous—"I was worried whether I would make another mistake, or violate the constitution again," he said with a hint of humor.
Speaking about Bangkok's future development, Thaksin expressed that as a metropolis with a large permanent population, the most important thing for Bangkok is the continuous improvement of its infrastructure, including urban sanitation and traffic management. He believes that even though Bangkok is an international metropolis, its budgetary resources are still relatively limited, so the mayor needs to possess practical working ability and be willing to put their whole heart into city governance, rather than being merely superficial.
In response to recent rumors regarding his "exit from politics" and future political prospects, Thaksin reiterated that he is currently not involved in any political activities, and is simply fulfilling the responsibilities of an ordinary citizen, not those of a politician.
Thaksin revealed that he will be departing next week to visit longtime friends abroad. He said that after leaving prison, many overseas friends reached out with their concerns, so he hopes to take this opportunity to personally express his gratitude. Speaking about his health status, Thaksin stated that his overall health is currently good—"For a 77-year-old, my body is still pretty decent."
