Thaksin plans a $5b private equity fund

Ousted prime minister and Manchester City Football Club owner Thaksin Shinawatra said he would launch a US$5-billion private-equity fund that would invest in Asian stocks.
"There's about 20 of us who are looking at this fund, and we'd invest about $250 million each," said Thaksin, who is in Dubai.
"It would invest in Asian stock exchanges and new companies, focusing on Asia, as that's where I know," he said without further elaboration.
Meanwhile, a total of 111 members of the former premier's disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party has set up a foundation called the House Number 111 Foundation.
The grouping, which will be unveiled on May 2, has asked Thaksin, the former Thai Rak Thai leader, as its chief adviser.
Pongthep Thepkanchana, a former Thai Rak Thai executive, said the foundation was aimed at allowing the 111 former party executives, banned from politics, to contribute to society.