Manchester City's Thai dish that's hard to swallow

Thaksin Shinawatra is a man with a chequered history. Some will argue that his impact as leader of the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party was instrumental in many of the reforms that positively affected the Thai people.

Others will argue that his substantial riches were gained illegally, and such accusations are hounding the former Prime Minister. A former policeman, he is a successful entrepreneur, and with the establishment of the Advanced Info Service in the late eighties – which became the largest mobile phone operator in Thailand – he cemented his business reputation.

He was one of the richest men in the country before he entered politics, and founded the TRT in 1998 to gather momentum to his election in 2001. At that time his election as PM was regarded as the most transparent election, completely lacking in corruption.

His time in power certainly reaped many rewards for the Thai people. His economic reforms were significant both to the international community and to the poor of the country. National debt was all but completely erased, GDP increased by over 50% in his time in power, and he led aggressive campaigns against drug trafficking and crime syndicates.

Nationwide poverty was halved in his time in power, and budgets were balanced despite huge spending on the infrastructure of Thailand.

It was after his second term as prime minister that controversy began to surface, when he elevated his cousin to become Commander-in-Chief of the Army, pushed for his deputy to be made UN Secretary, and continually interfered in Senate power.

There is criticism of his human rights record, with his government not very forthcoming on certain aspects of how his government and police operate. He has been involved in banning media outlets and has been a staunch adversary of various religions.

Amnesty International and the Human Rights watch have labelled Thaksin as a monster. In 2006 his family sold their stake in Shin Corporation, netting nearly $2 billion in revenue. Some argued that the process was illegal, using regulations that allowed him to net the sale completely tax free.

The central fault in this is that it was a prime piece of Thai business, and his detractors argued that he was selling out his nation to foreign entities.

This increased considerably to his net worth and he looked around to take over a football club, but was denied by numerous boards. In 2006 he was overthrown as Prime Minister while attending a UN meeting, although some say that he was on holiday. Thaskin’s TRT party was dissolved, and his websites, accounts and other assets were frozen or seized.

He only returned to Thailand this year after more than a year in exile, but the big question remains:  How did he become so rich in his time in power.

In June last year, Shinawatra launched an £80m bid for Manchester City and in July he completed the purchase of 75% shares and the company came off the Stock Exchange.

H appointed former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson as manager and the club have done reasonably well to reach ninth place in the Premier League this season.

But Thick-Skinned Shinawatra has reportedly informed Eriksson that he is not the right man for the job, and will be replaced at the end of the season. He has been courting Luiz Scolari, coach of Portugal, for the City job, offering him an astronomical salary worth ten times more what he is currently paid.

Shinawatra did not go public with his plans and he has alienated himself with the fans, as Eriksson is popular both with the players and the public.

From his record as we know it, it might appear that Manchester City are heading for dark days.