In the Southern District of New York (Manhattan) judges used Booker to sentence below range in 41% of all cases, whereas in Arizona, Nevada and the Eastern District of Texas, judges cut defendants a Booker break only 5% of the time.
Mr Thaksin was convicted only of breaching an anti-corruption law that bans officials' spouses from doing business with state agencies and only by a 5-4 majority among the nine judges.
This year's judges included BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey, Channel 4 head of entertainment and comedy Danielle Lux and Channel 5 director of programmes Kevin Lygo.