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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Former Thai PM Thaksin back home | Former Thai PM Thaksin back home |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been released on bail shortly after his arrival in Thailand after spending 17 months in exile. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 would "definitely" be cleared of corruption charges against him. | |
| "I've done nothing wrong, why worry?" he said. | |
| Mr Thaksin said he wanted to live peacefully as a "normal citizen" and would not be seeking revenge against the coup bosses who forced him out of power after five years in office. | |
| Mr Thaksin's 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. |
| When asked if he would be pulling the political strings in Thailand, Mr Thaksin told the BBC that he had retired from politics. | |
| "I think in my life I have devoted a lot to my country and I think I have done a lot politically. No more politics." | |
| Mr Thaksin has some $1600m (£800m) in frozen accounts in Thailand. He told Andrew Harding this was his family's money which he would try to get released. | |
| He said he had mixed feelings about returning to home, but that he now wished to focus on his family and his football interests - he owns Manchester City and was travelling with two of the British club's players. | |
| "Manchester City Football Club in my family investment so we will have to do our best to make it successful," he said. |