Ousted Thai premier returns to face charges

Saying “I miss my motherland,” former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand on Thursday...

Saying “I miss my motherland,” former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra returned to Thailand on Thursday, 17 months after being ousted in a coup, and said he was ready to face corruption charges that had been brought against him.

A crowd of about 4,000 supporters cheered as his plane landed at the international airport here to open the next chapter in a political confrontation that has set back democracy in Thailand.

His return followed the installation of a civilian government packed with his supporters that was elected in December, in defiance of the military junta that had sought to purge the country of his influence.

Earlier, as Thaksin, 58, prepared to board his flight in Hong Kong, he said, “I believe in the Thai justice system, especially the court system.” Although he has already been active behind the scenes with the new government, he repeated a frequent pledge to stay out of politics, saying, “I’m finished.”

The authorities took Thaksin into custody at the airport and drove him to the Supreme Court, where he was released on bail on corruption charges pending a hearing on March 8. He was barred from leaving the country without the court’s permission.

He and his wife, Pojaman, have been charged with corruption and conflict of interest in connection with the purchase of property from a state agency while he was in office. His wife returned to Thailand in January and is free on bail. A billionaire telecommunications tycoon, Thaksin also faces charges of concealing his assets.

The police said security would be tight at the court building but that they did not expect trouble.