KEY POINTS:
The deposed Prime Minister of Thailand has been compared with Pol Pot, but to the blue half of Manchester, England, he is "Frank" the man with the financial clout to put their Manchester City soccer team on a par with more illustrious local rivals, Manchester United.
Since buying
the club for £81.6 million ($232 million) in early July, Thaksin Shinawatra has received a wary but convivial reception.
As City began the season with the former England manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, in charge and a scarcely recognisable team of new Spanish, Italian and Brazilian players, there was even circumspect talk among the fans of a first trophy for the club in 32 years. Nine out of 20 clubs in the Premier division are foreign-owned and it is likely that more (perhaps Arsenal or Everton) will be sold during the next year.
In some respects, Thaksin, who was overthrown by the Council for National Security (CNS) military junta in a bloodless coup last September, is a natural addition to these ranks.
A charismatic individual and natural self-publicist, he is sure to enjoy the prestige of club ownership, a must-have for any self-respecting itinerant billionaire these days.
Even with assets of almost £1 billion frozen in Thailand, he is said to enjoy a flamboyant lifestyle in England, where he now lives in exile with his wife and three grown-up children.
His main residence is a five-bedroom, £4.5 million mansion in Weybridge, Surrey, near London, and he also has a serviced apartment in central London, where he answers to "Your Excellency." He eats at ritzy restaurants such as Royal China and Patara.
Human rights organisations are incredulous he has passed the Premier League's fit and proper persons test, although the League points out that he has not been convicted of anything.
If the comments on the Manchester Evening News message board are representative of the population, 90 per cent of fans are behind Thaksin and most are more concerned about goalkeeping cover for the new season than the Government-endorsed "war on drugs".
Although the former Prime Minister has announced his retirement from politics, he never says it with much conviction.
The CNS claims he is desperate to stay in the spotlight in Thailand, where many worship English football like a second religion.
- Observer
