Thailand's convicted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was released on parole on Sunday, his lawyer said, starting a first day of freedom in his homeland, 15 years after fleeing in the wake of his overthrow by the royalist military.
The influential billionaire, whose family's party is now in power in Thailand, was freed from hospital detention six months into a sentence for abuse of power and conflicts of interest, that was commuted from eight years to one by the country's king.
Reuters journalists saw Thaksin, 74, leaving the hospital in a black Mercedes van early on Sunday, wearing a green shirt and with his arm in a sling, sitting beside his youngest daughter, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, leader of the ruling Pheu Thai party.
Thaksin was eligible for parole due his age, health condition and time served and had been detained in hospital on health grounds.
The vehicle was seen arriving at the family's Bangkok residence about 25 minutes later.
