Former Thai Prime Minister and Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra aka Frank to us Blues was here one minute and gone the next. But, what is he doing with himself these days?
MCFC owner
June 2007 – September 2008.
Frank bought the club for an estimated £81.6 million and sold the club 15 months later for a reported £200 million. Some would say he did well out the deal. I would say thank goodness ADUG came along.
Disgraced in his own country (that’s another story and for another time) the club, on departure made him ‘honorary president.’ He was later removed from his non- administrative responsibilities following his homeland conviction for various money related and shall we shall, complicated offenses.
His reported millions, illegally gained from his country (some may say) were frozen and he was forced into exile.
Frank did a runner from the Thai authorities and needless to say, he and his family disappeared from public view.
I for one have fond Frank memories. He promised the earth and delivered us, Sven-Goran Eriksson. He promised the club bucket loads of Wonga, and we ended up with Vedran Corluka, Valeri Bojinov, Felipe Caicedo, Gelson Fernandes, Benjani, and Nery Castillo. Ah, happy days.
The here and now
In 2009, Thaksin said in an interview that he was living in Dubai and still had access to about $100 million of his money.
In 2017 he was thought to be flitting between Hong Kong and Singapore.
Why there?
He was gathering his former influential Thai friends to make a political comeback.
Did he make a comeback?
No!
This man was/is one heck of a character.
Three cheers for Frank.
Hip hip….