| Thailand's deposed Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, says the would like to return home, now that his political ally has won the first election since a military takeover last year ousted him from power. Thaksin Shinawatra says he could return to Thailand as soon as February. He says he wants to go back to prove his innocence in a corruption trial he faces there. Speaking to reporters in Hong Kong Tuesday, Mr. Thaksin said, if he does return, he plans to stay out of politics, "I want to go back to live my life peacefully in Thailand as a normal citizen." Military leaders pushed Mr. Thaksin from power 15 months ago while he was out of the country. The coup leader said they wanted to clean up the government, accusing Mr. Thaksin of abuse of power and rampant corruption. The former prime minister has never returned to Thailand, and he says he will only go back when it's safe for him to do so. Sunday's national elections apparently give hime that sense of security. The People Power Party, which includes many Thaksin supporters, won 233 seats in the 480-seat lower house of parliament. Although it failed to win a majority, the PPP controls enough seats to form a coalition government. |
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