Former Thai PM Thaksin to visit Japan university

TOKYO, May 25 (Reuters) Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will soon be named a visiting professor at a Tokyo university to give a lecture to students in early July, the school said today.

Thaksin, who has not returned to Thailand since a bloodless military coup in September, will teach a 90-minute course called ''Industry and People'' at Takushoku University on July 5, the university's spokesman said.

Japanese media said the billionaire telecoms tycoon would speak about Asian business models. Thaksin will hold a news conference at the university on June 7 on the appointment.

The spokesman said it was undecided whether Thaksin would teach more than once at the school, with some visiting professors teaching only once and others teaching one class per year or more.

The former Thai prime minister, who lives in exile in London, last visited Japan in January.

Despite repeated announcements that he would not return to politics, Thaksin has continued to make headlines, including a recent bid to take over English soccer club Manchester City.

He told CNN earlier this year that he did not want to return to Thailand to cause unrest in the country, but was willing to go back to defend himself on corruption charges.

REUTERS SM VV0943