In some provinces, PAO members play a significant role to support candidates in general elections. This year has seen renewed political momentum for Thaksin and his allies.
Aside from his long-term Red Shirt supporters, Thaksin is seeking to expand his political base by reaching out to the young generation, which has lost hope with the current administration and is protesting against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha, the leader of the coup against Yingluck. Thaksin has attempted to rebrand himself as the leader of the future. Thaksin had switched his age to 27 in order to indicate that he is still young at heart and understands the needs of Thai youth.
The Clubhouse conversations allow young audiences to discuss and elucidate their political perspectives directly with the former prime minister. In his previous phone-ins to Red Shirt rallies, Thaksin spoke out more aggressively to his supporters. In the Clubhouse chatrooms, he speaks in friendly and more intimate tones as he compares his government to the mismanagement that young people observe under Prayut.
Thaksin fled Thailand in just before the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced him to two years in jail for conflict of interest. Now based in Dubai, he has always insisted that the case against him was politically motivated. The Pheu Thai Party, the latest incarnation of the political party he founded two decades ago, this week named a new executive board , featuring more people close to the Shinawatra family.
The move was seen in some quarters as a sign that Thaksin himself wants to steer the opposition party in a new direction. Her appointment comes as Thaksin, 72, who has been in self-imposed exile most of the time since he was toppled, has been increasing his profile amid rumors that current Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha may call new elections. Thaksin is widely seen as seeking some sort of political comeback. Thaksin is a billionaire whose populist policies won him strong electoral support.
He now lives mostly in Dubai to avoid serving prison time in Thailand on corruption charges he says were politically motivated. He is a contentious figure whose fall set off a sometimes violent struggle for power between his supporters and his opponents, who accused him of abuse of power and corruption.
His supporters say the traditional Thai establishment feared losing power because of his popularity, which he has retained among many voters. Thaksin is known for having family members be part of his political machine. But main opposition parties boycotted the polls and many voters chose to register a "no vote". Faced with the threat of further protests, Mr Thaksin said he would step down. He did for a few weeks, but returned to office in May. In September that year, following months of political uncertainty, the military seized power while the prime minister was out of the country.
Mr Thaksin relocated to the UK, but shortly after his allies won the first post-coup elections in late , he returned to Thailand. There he and his family faced a raft of corruption charges - allegations which the former Thai leader probably expected to come to nothing. But the courts - greatly empowered by a new military-backed constitution - pursued the cases against him and his family with new vigour.
First his wife, Pojaman, and then Mr Thaksin himself were sentenced to jail terms - with the Supreme Court finding the former leader guilty of corruption. His assets were frozen, forcing him to sell his controlling stake in English Premier League football club Manchester City shortly afterwards. Mr Thaksin left Thailand, failing to return home for a court appearance from the Olympic Games in Beijing in August , and became a fugitive.
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