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| Former Thai PM Thaksin back home | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been released on bail shortly after his arrival in Thailand after spending 17 months in exile. | |
| He said he would beat what he called politically motivated corruption charges from the years he was in power. | He said he would beat what he called politically motivated corruption charges from the years he was in power. |
| The 58-year-old billionaire businessman was briefly detained by police on his arrival at Bangkok airport. | |
| He was removed from power in a military coup in September 2006 and has lived outside the country since then. | He was removed from power in a military coup in September 2006 and has lived outside the country since then. |
| At the airport he was greeted by a huge roar from thousands of flag-waving supporters. | At the airport he was greeted by a huge roar from thousands of flag-waving supporters. |
| Some of the key figures from the new government were there to meet him before he was whisked away to the Supreme Court where he was granted bail. | |
| He is allowed to travel abroad, but only with the court's permission. | |
| Opponents' fears | Opponents' fears |
| "I have to restore my reputation which has been tarnished by the coup," he told reporters with him on the plane from Hong Kong. | "I have to restore my reputation which has been tarnished by the coup," he told reporters with him on the plane from Hong Kong. |
| Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Harding on the flight, Mr Thaksin said he wouldn't be seeking revenge against the coup bosses who forced him out of power after five years in office. | Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Harding on the flight, Mr Thaksin said he wouldn't be seeking revenge against the coup bosses who forced him out of power after five years in office. |
| He said he had mixed feelings about returning to home, but that he had finished with politics and wished to focus on his football interests - he owns Manchester City and was travelling with two of the British club's players. | He said he had mixed feelings about returning to home, but that he had finished with politics and wished to focus on his football interests - he owns Manchester City and was travelling with two of the British club's players. |
| His party, Thai Rak Thai, was outlawed following the coup and he was personally banned from politics for five years but his opponents fear he has returned to influence events from behind-the-scenes. | His party, Thai Rak Thai, was outlawed following the coup and he was personally banned from politics for five years but his opponents fear he has returned to influence events from behind-the-scenes. |
| Many of Mr Thaksin's followers formed the People Power Party (PPP), which won elections in December last year. | Many of Mr Thaksin's followers formed the People Power Party (PPP), which won elections in December last year. |