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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Ex-Thai PM 'will remain in UK' | Ex-Thai PM 'will remain in UK' |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said he will not return to Thailand from the UK. | Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said he will not return to Thailand from the UK. |
| In a statement released to the Thai media, Mr Thaksin said he and his wife would remain in the UK, "where democracy is more important". | In a statement released to the Thai media, Mr Thaksin said he and his wife would remain in the UK, "where democracy is more important". |
| Mr Thaksin is on bail over corruption charges but failed to make a scheduled Bangkok court appearance on Monday. | Mr Thaksin is on bail over corruption charges but failed to make a scheduled Bangkok court appearance on Monday. |
| Thailand's Supreme Court has now issued an arrest warrant for the billionaire, who owns Manchester City football club. | Thailand's Supreme Court has now issued an arrest warrant for the billionaire, who owns Manchester City football club. |
| Mr Thaksin says the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to remove him from politics. | Mr Thaksin says the charges are politically motivated and an attempt to remove him from politics. |
| 'Political enemies' | 'Political enemies' |
| The former leader had been due to return to the Thai capital on Sunday after a court allowed him to attend the Olympic Games opening in Beijing. CASES AGAINST THAKSIN FAMILY Case one: Abuse of power related to purchase of state land by his wife. Who: Thaksin and his wife. Status: Trial underwayCase two: Abuse of power linked to government lottery scheme. Who: Thaksin and several former Cabinet ministers. Status: Case accepted by Supreme CourtCase three: Abuse of power related to state loan to Burma alleged to have benefited family business. Who: Thaksin. Status: Case accepted by Supreme CourtCase four: Concealing assets. Who: Thaksin, wife and two others. Status: Awaiting court decision on proceeding to trialCase five: Tax evasion. Who: Members of Thaksin's family. Status: Pojaman Shinawatra and her brother jailed for three years, her secretary for two yearsSeveral other claims also lodged class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1108114.stm">Profile: Thaksin Shinawatra | |
| He and his wife - who is on bail pending an appeal after she was jailed for three years for tax fraud - were to appear before the Supreme Court in a case involving the allegedly unlawful purchase of land. | He and his wife - who is on bail pending an appeal after she was jailed for three years for tax fraud - were to appear before the Supreme Court in a case involving the allegedly unlawful purchase of land. |
| Instead Mr Thaksin issued a statement announcing his decision not to return home. | Instead Mr Thaksin issued a statement announcing his decision not to return home. |
| "What happened to me and my family and my close relations resulted from efforts to get rid of me from politics," he said in the hand-written statement. | "What happened to me and my family and my close relations resulted from efforts to get rid of me from politics," he said in the hand-written statement. |
| "These are my political enemies. They don't care about the rule of law, facts or internationally recognised due process." | "These are my political enemies. They don't care about the rule of law, facts or internationally recognised due process." |
| Mr Thaksin apologised to the Thai people for his decision to live in the UK, where his daughter is attending university and where he owns several properties, as well as the Manchester City football club. | Mr Thaksin apologised to the Thai people for his decision to live in the UK, where his daughter is attending university and where he owns several properties, as well as the Manchester City football club. |
| "If I am fortunate enough, I will return and die on Thai soil, just like other Thais," he said. | "If I am fortunate enough, I will return and die on Thai soil, just like other Thais," he said. |
| Observers have said that the former prime minister may attempt to claim political asylum in the UK, but there was no reference to this in the statement. | Observers have said that the former prime minister may attempt to claim political asylum in the UK, but there was no reference to this in the statement. |
| Thailand's Supreme Court reacted swiftly. | Thailand's Supreme Court reacted swiftly. |
| "The court sees that the defendants have broken their bail terms. Therefore, it issues an arrest warrant and orders their bail bonds to be seized," a statement said. | "The court sees that the defendants have broken their bail terms. Therefore, it issues an arrest warrant and orders their bail bonds to be seized," a statement said. |
| The court had agreed to try several cases against Thaksin Shinawatra for allegedly abusing his power during his five years in office. | The court had agreed to try several cases against Thaksin Shinawatra for allegedly abusing his power during his five years in office. |
| Last month, the former prime minister's wife was jailed for tax fraud - a verdict that must have come as a shock to Mr Thaksin, analysts say. | Last month, the former prime minister's wife was jailed for tax fraud - a verdict that must have come as a shock to Mr Thaksin, analysts say. |
| The businessman was the first Thai prime minister to serve a full term in office. | The businessman was the first Thai prime minister to serve a full term in office. |
| But he was ousted in a military coup in 2006, banned from politics for five years and his Thai Rak Thai party outlawed. | But he was ousted in a military coup in 2006, banned from politics for five years and his Thai Rak Thai party outlawed. |
| He returned from exile in the UK in March after his political allies in the People's Power Party (PPP) set up a coalition government. | He returned from exile in the UK in March after his political allies in the People's Power Party (PPP) set up a coalition government. |
| But since then the PPP-led coalition has faced repeated challenges and its leader, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, has faced numerous calls to step down. | But since then the PPP-led coalition has faced repeated challenges and its leader, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, has faced numerous calls to step down. |