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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| UK revokes former Thai PM's visa | UK revokes former Thai PM's visa |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The British government has revoked the visas of the former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife. | The British government has revoked the visas of the former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife. |
| An e-mail sent to airlines from the British embassy in Bangkok told them not to allow the couple to board flights to Britain. | An e-mail sent to airlines from the British embassy in Bangkok told them not to allow the couple to board flights to Britain. |
| Mr Thaksin was deposed in a military coup in 2006, and travelled to Britain. | Mr Thaksin was deposed in a military coup in 2006, and travelled to Britain. |
| He has since been convicted by a Thai court on corruption charges and sentenced in absentia to two years. His wife faces three years for tax evasion. | He has since been convicted by a Thai court on corruption charges and sentenced in absentia to two years. His wife faces three years for tax evasion. |
| A Thai foreign ministry official told the Reuters news agency: "The foreign ministry has checked the reports with British authorities and they have confirmed that the visas were revoked." | A Thai foreign ministry official told the Reuters news agency: "The foreign ministry has checked the reports with British authorities and they have confirmed that the visas were revoked." |
| But Mr Shinawatra's spokesman, Phongthep Thepkanjana, said: "I spoke with Thaksin's secretary and he said that Thaksin still had not been notified by the British government." | |
| The Home Office and the British Embassy in Bangkok said they would not comment on individual cases. | |
| Mr Thaksin is thought to be travelling in East Asia - a week ago he made a telephone address to more than 60,000 supporters packed into a Bangkok sports stadium. | Mr Thaksin is thought to be travelling in East Asia - a week ago he made a telephone address to more than 60,000 supporters packed into a Bangkok sports stadium. |
| Multiple charges | Multiple charges |
| For much of the past two years Mr Thaksin and his family have lived in the UK. | For much of the past two years Mr Thaksin and his family have lived in the UK. |
| He has not only invested in expensive properties here but also bought Manchester City Football Club, which he sold in August. | He has not only invested in expensive properties here but also bought Manchester City Football Club, which he sold in August. |
| Following the withdrawal of their visas Mr Thaksin and his wife will now be forced to find a new home. | Following the withdrawal of their visas Mr Thaksin and his wife will now be forced to find a new home. |
| The cases against Thaksin include corruption charges related to the purchase of state land by his wife, abuses of power over government money, concealing assets and tax evasion. | The cases against Thaksin include corruption charges related to the purchase of state land by his wife, abuses of power over government money, concealing assets and tax evasion. |
| The former leader retains a lot of support in rural areas of Thailand, but also has many detractors who would like nothing more than to see him in jail. | The former leader retains a lot of support in rural areas of Thailand, but also has many detractors who would like nothing more than to see him in jail. |