Thaksin documentary to coincide with Thai campaign

BANGKOK, Oct 15 (Reuters) Ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will distribute a documentary in Thailand of his life in exile and takeover of Manchester City football club ahead of December elections, his lawyer said today.

The documentary of Thaksin, who has said frequently he has quit politics to general disbelief at home, would be available on VCD and on Web sites, his Bangkok lawyer, Noppadon Pattama, told a radio station.

''If you like a leading actor named Thaksin, you're welcome to see it,'' Noppadon said. ''For those who dislike him, but like his ideas, they should see it to utilise his approach.'' The film would be finished in a month, Noppodon said, and its distribution would coincide with the start of the campaign for a December 23 general election analysts say is likely to produce a weak coalition government.

The election will be conducted under a new constitution written by a military-appointed panel and critics say it is designed to prevent a strong single party government like Thaksin's.

Thaksin, who won landslide poll victories in 2001 and 2005 and remains popular among the rural poor, faces corruption charges and has had more than 2 billion dollars of his money frozen in domestic bank accounts.

The billionaire tycoon denies the charges and has refused to return home to face them, saying he cannot get a fair trial until civilian rule is restored.

REUTERS SS AS1258