The former Manchester City boss and Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been release from prison in Thailand on parole
Shinawatra, 74, was among 930 prisoners freed on parole due to his age and ‘serious illness’ six months after his return to the country from self-exile.
While Prime Minister in 2007 he bought Manchester City for $164 million, pleasing soccer-mad Thais but his critics called the purchase a political gimmick.
The following year he was forced to fly back to Bangkok to defend himself against corruption charges after his ally successfully formed a government at the start of the year.
He sold the club that same year to investors from Abu Dhabi United Group
In August of that year he skipped bail and fleed to the UK
The billionaire who made his fortune in the telecommunications business was jailed for eight years on graft and abuse-of-power charges upon his return to Thailand in August.
His sentence was reduced to one year by King Maha Vajiralongkorn and he has served six months in hospital detention due to an undisclosed health condition.
