INTERNATIONAL: Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, currently serving an eight-year prison term, has formally requested a royal pardon, stirring speculation of a potential clemency agreement. Thaksin, a billionaire, was imprisoned shortly after his return to Thailand following 15 years of self-exile. His return coincided with his political party, Pheu Thai, rejoining the government in coalition with pro-military parties, leading to widespread conjecture that a deal had been struck to reduce his jail time.

The caretaker justice minister, Wissanu Krea-ngam, confirmed that Thaksin had submitted a pardon request, which will now follow the standard procedure. The timeline depends on the king's consideration, but the process generally takes one to two months if all paperwork is in order.

Thaksin's return was met with a hero's welcome from his supporters, while critics in the royalist and pro-military establishment have consistently opposed his influence in Thai politics. Thaksin, loved by many for his populist policies, is also a highly divisive figure in Thailand.

His party's latest prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, was confirmed in office, marking a return to power for Pheu Thai after Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's sister, was ousted in a 2014 coup.

Thaksin, who had lived mostly in Dubai to avoid what he considered politically motivated charges, expressed his willingness to face justice in Thailand earlier this year to reunite with his grandchildren.

While parties linked to Thaksin had dominated Thai elections for years, the recent political landscape has shifted, sidelining progressive parties. Thaksin's prison sentence, health concerns, and his party's loss of dominance have added new layers of complexity to Thailand's political scene.