Thaksin Shinawatra is preparing to welcome another former prime minister on Wednesday when Hun Sen flies in from Cambodia to visit the parolee at his Bangkok home.

Thaksin and Hun Sen have developed a strong friendship over many years and the former Cambodian strongman reportedly decided to visit Thaksin at his home out of a personal concern for his health.

Thaksin is now officially on parole after serving half of a one-year prison sentence — reduced from eight years under a royal pardon.

He was discharged on Sunday from Police General Hospital.

Corrections officials and doctors have said little over the past six months about exactly what was ailing the 74-year-old, due to patient confidentiality. But on Tuesday Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn spoke about her father’s condition.

The neck brace and the sling worn by Thaksin in the photo his daughter posted on her Instagram account are not props, a Pheu Thai spokesman said.

Danuporn Punnakanta said Ms Paetongtarn claimed that the neck brace was for a spinal condition common in the elderly, and the sling was for tendonitis.

While in hospital, Thaksin had surgery to repair a tendon, the spokesman quoted Ms Paetongtarn as saying.

Those conditions aside, Thaksin was already considerably weakened by three bouts with Covid-19, and is still experiencing the effects of “long Covid”, said Mr Danuporn.