Man City owner Thaksin could lose passport after fleeing Thailand
owner Thaksin Shinawatra could lose his diplomatic passport after fleeing Thailand, where he is the subject of a corruption probe.
Thaksin is on bail after being sentenced on July 31 to three years in prison on tax evasion charges in his homeland.
The former Thai prime minister flew back to Britain at the weekend saying he was forced to flee because his political foes were tinkering with the judicial system to get rid of him and his family.
Smiles for now: Thaksin Shinawatra shops with his family in Guildford, Surrey, earlier this week
And there are reports that Thaksin and his wife Khunying Pojaman will seek political asylum in Britain.
The episode has raised questions about Thaksin's ability to bankroll City, with £800million of his assets assets frozen by the Thai authorities.
Thaksin is thought to have two passports and the loss of his diplomatic passport is likely to be little more than symbolic.
The Thai News Agency is reporting Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag saying that officials from his ministry would need to speak with the British Home and Foreign Offices, as well as London's Thai embassy, about the possibility of extraditing Thaksin to Thailand.
The Thai supreme court also has a corruption case against the Thaksins involving their purchase of Bangkok real estate at bargain prices in 2003. Thaksin and his wife deny any wrongdoing.
