Ashley Oosthuizen hoping for a royal pardon in Thailand

A KING'S Pardon may be the gift that Ashley Oosthuizen and her mother, Lynn Blignaut, have been praying for her after her prison sentence in Thailand was reduced by 20 years, from 33.4 years to 13.4 years.

- GENEVIEVE SERRA

And if granted, she may only need to spend another two years inside the Thai prison.

Oosthuizen was found guilty of drug related charges after her arrest in 2020, when she allegedly accepted a package containing MDMA while working at a restaurant.

Blignaut had completed a legal petition together with an appeal to the Supreme Court in Thailand, which was submitted in 2022 and 2023.

The verdict handed down on March 27, 2025, stated that Oosthuizen's sentence was reduced by 20 years following an initial charge of "international drug smuggler" that was changed to "possession".

She has already served 4.7 years.

Oosthuizen is now awaiting her final documents to confirm her new sentence, which can take up to 7 months.

She is also hoping to be part of the King's Pardon.