Thaksin Shinawatra: from billionaire to fugitive ex-prime minister

6 January 2001: In the heady days when the only way seemed to be up, Thaksin Shinawatra and members of his party celebrate their election victory. Telecoms magnate Thaksin and his populist party scored a convincing win against the ruling Democrats
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

17 November 2003: A beggar near a train station in Bangkok. Thaksin pledged to eradicate poverty in Thailand within six years. He implemented various government-funded projects for the poor including the one million baht (£20,000) village fund and a low-cost healthcare scheme under which Thais can receive treatment for just 30 baht
Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty

9 February 2005: People walk past an election campaign billboard featuring Thaksin and Thai Rak Thai party candidate Orathai Tanajaro. Thaksin won an unprecedented second term in the elections
Photograph: Frederic J Brown/AFP/Getty

25 August 2005: Thaksin holds his first weekly news conference at government house in Bangkok. Thaksin, noted for his bristly relations with the media and sensitivity to criticism, promised to meet the media every Thursday to field their questions. He raises the sign marked X when he considers questions from the media inappropriate, and marked O when he considers the question a good one
Photograph: Chor Sokunthea/Reuters

20 September 2006: Soldiers stand guard outside the Royal Plaza in Bangkok. Thailand's armed forces seized power from prime minister Thaksin in a late-night bloodless coup, revoking the constitution and imposing martial law after months of political turmoil
Photograph: Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP/Getty

4 April 2006: Thaksin Shinawatra hugs his wife after he announced his resignation Photograph: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA

21 December 2007: Thaksin supporters at an election rally of the People Power Party
Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty

February 28 2008: Police stand guard outside Bangkok airport, waiting for the former prime minister
Photograph: Chumsak Kanoknan/Getty Images

17 May 2008: Away from politics, he was also chairman of Manchester City, who played a friendly against All Star Thailand XI in Bangkok
Photograph: Stanley Chou/Getty Images

20 June 2008: Anti-government protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demand the immediate resignation of prime minister Samak Sundaravej and his ministers
Photograph: Narong Sangnak/EPA

31 July 2008: Thaksin with his family at Bangkok criminal court
Photograph: Narong Sangnak/EPA

21 October 2008: Anti-Thaksin protesters demand action against the ousted prime minister
Photograph: Rolex de la Pena/EPA

28 March 2009: Thaksin supporters come out in force
Photograph: Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters

November 12 2009: Now a fugitive, he takes on the role of Cambodia's economic adviser and accuses Thailand's rulers of "false patriotism"
Photograph: Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP/Getty

26 February 2010: A woman puts up a message of support outside the supreme court as judges ponder their verdict
Photograph: Nyein Chan Naing/EPA

February 26 2010: Five of the nine judges who ruled on Thaksin's assets
Photograph: Apichart Weerawong/AP

25 February 2010: A policeman stands guard
Photograph: Christophe Archambault/AFP/Getty Images