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Thaksin Shinawatra: from billionaire to fugitive ex-prime minister

This article is more than 16 years old

26 February 2010: A Thai court has ordered the seizure of two-thirds of the £1.5bn in frozen assets of the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra

Fri 26 Feb 2010 08.48 EST

Thaksin Shinawatra: 6 January 2001: Thaksin Shinawatra and members of his party celebrate — 6 January 2001: In the heady days when the only way seemed to be up, Thaksin Shinawatra and members of his party celebrate their election victory. Telecoms magnate Thaksin and his populist party scored a convincing win against the ruling DemocratsPhotograph: AFP/Getty Images
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 17 November 2003: A beggar near a train station in Bangkok — 17 November 2003: A beggar near a train station in Bangkok. Thaksin pledged to eradicate poverty in Thailand within six years. He implemented various government-funded projects for the poor including the one million baht (£20,000) village fund and a low-cost healthcare scheme under which Thais can receive treatment for just 30 bahtPhotograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty
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Thaksin Shinawatra: People walk past an election campaign bi — 9 February 2005: People walk past an election campaign billboard featuring Thaksin and Thai Rak Thai party candidate Orathai Tanajaro. Thaksin won an unprecedented second term in the electionsPhotograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 25 August 2005: Thaksin Shinawatra during his first weekly news conference — 25 August 2005: Thaksin holds his first weekly news conference at government house in Bangkok. Thaksin, noted for his bristly relations with the media and sensitivity to criticism, promised to meet the media every Thursday to field their questions. He raises the sign marked X when he considers questions from the media inappropriate, and marked O when he considers the question a good onePhotograph: Chor Sokunthea/Reuters
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 20 September 2006: Soldiers stand guard on a military tank — 20 September 2006: Soldiers stand guard outside the Royal Plaza in Bangkok. Thailand's armed forces seized power from prime minister Thaksin in a late-night bloodless coup, revoking the constitution and imposing martial law after months of political turmoilPhotograph: Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP/Getty
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 4 April 2006: Thaksin Shinawatra after he announced his resignation — 4 April 2006: Thaksin Shinawatra hugs his wife after he announced his resignationPhotograph: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 21 December 2007: Supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra — 21 December 2007: Thaksin supporters at an election rally of the People Power PartyPhotograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty
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Thaksin Shinawatra: February 28 2008: Police officers stand guard outside Bangkok Airport — February 28 2008: Police stand guard outside Bangkok airport, waiting for the former prime ministerPhotograph: Chumsak Kanoknan/Getty Images
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 17 May 2008: Chairman of Manchester City Thaksin Shinawatra — 17 May 2008: Away from politics, he was also chairman of Manchester City, who played a friendly against All Star Thailand XI in BangkokPhotograph: Stanley Chou/Getty Images
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 20 June 2008: Anti government protestors — 20 June 2008: Anti-government protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demand the immediate resignation of prime minister Samak Sundaravej and his ministersPhotograph: Narong Sangnak/EPA
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 31 July 2008: Thaksin Shinawatra with his wife Pojaman Shinawatra — 31 July 2008: Thaksin with his family at Bangkok criminal courtPhotograph: Narong Sangnak/EPA
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 21 October 2008: An anti-government protester shouts slogans — 21 October 2008: Anti-Thaksin protesters demand action against the ousted prime ministerPhotograph: Rolex de la Pena/EPA
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 28 March 2009: A demonstrator holds a fan — 28 March 2009: Thaksin supporters come out in forcePhotograph: Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters
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Thaksin Shinawatra: November 12 2009: Thaksin Shinawatra upon his arrival at Siem Reap airport — November 12 2009: Now a fugitive, he takes on the role of Cambodia's economic adviser and accuses Thailand's rulers of "false patriotism"Photograph: Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP/Getty
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 26 February 2010: A supporter of Thaksin Shinawtra — 26 February 2010: A woman puts up a message of support outside the supreme court as judges ponder their verdictPhotograph: Nyein Chan Naing/EPA
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Thaksin Shinawatra: February 26 2010: Five of nine judges inside the supreme court room — February 26 2010: Five of the nine judges who ruled on Thaksin's assetsPhotograph: Apichart Weerawong/AP
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Thaksin Shinawatra: 25 February 2010: A policeman stands guard outside the Supreme Court — 25 February 2010: A policeman stands guard Photograph: Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images
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