Thailand's fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is preparing to step up his political activities from exile ahead of elections next year, the opposition said yesterday.
In a video link to a meeting of the Puea Thai Party on Wednesday, the former billionaire telecoms tycoon offered his assistance in the poll battle, said spokesman Prompong Nopparit.
"He said he is ready to give advice about economic problems, advice to candidates during campaigns and advice about party policies," Prompong said.
By law Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva must hold an election by the end of 2011.
Thaksin, who lives abroad to avoid a jail term for corruption, drew wide support from Thailand's rural poor during office but was deposed by a military coup in 2006 and faces allegations of corruption and abuse of power.
The 61-year-old lives in self-imposed exile but he still has many supporters, particularly within the "Red Shirt" opposition movement, which was behind mass street protests in Bangkok in April and May.
Thai courts have issued a series of arrest warrants for Thaksin on charges including terrorism -- an accusation linked to the violent street rallies. The authorities have accused him of bankrolling the protests and inciting unrest.
Thaksin, a former owner of English football club Manchester City, has said the terrorism charges against him are "politically motivated".
Experts say the tycoon-turned-premier, who was a flamboyant but divisive leader, has not given up his political ambitions and continues to play an important role within the opposition behind the scenes.
"I'm not surprised that Thaksin would like to remain very active in politics," said Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thailand expert at the Institute of South East Asia Studies in Singapore.
He said the Red Shirts' hero was fading from public view because of the terrorist allegations and violence blamed by the authorities on radical Red Shirts.
"He'll try to come back (on the political scene) to play a legitimate role and I think the elite should be open enough to let him do that. Reconciliation will not be successful without Thaksin," Pavin said.
But Thaksin is unlikely to return to Thailand even if the opposition wins the next election, he said.
"He has so many enemies. It would take time to wait until the hatred subsides and the people who hate him have money and weapons," said Pavin.
In his push for a return to Thailand, Thaksin has used video messages to encourage supporters but his broadcasts diminished during the April-May protests, which left 91 people dead in clashes between troops and demonstrators.
But he has not stopped his lobbying efforts and launched a public relations offensive in the wake of a deadly crackdown on the Red Shirt rallies, notably hiring Canadian lawyer and publicist Robert Amsterdam.
Prompong said he expected Thaksin to address the opposition "only at appropriate times" in future.
"He hasn't spoken much recently because he wants reconciliation. He does not want this government to be suspicious about him," the spokesman said.