Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman have
divorced while living in exile after 32 years of marriage.
A
spokesman for Thaksin said Saturday in Bangkok that the fugitive leader
signed the divorce papers on Friday at the Thai consulate in Hong Kong.
The spokesman Pongthep Thepkanjana did not specify the reason for the
divorce.
Thai media say Thaksin and Pojaman may have divorced
for legal reasons relating to corruption cases against them. They have
been living in exile since August to avoid jail sentences in their
homeland.
British authorities revoked visas for the couple last
week, forcing them to search for a new refuge. It is not clear where
they are headed next. One country thought to be under consideration is
the United Arab Emirates.
Thaksin served as Thai prime minister
from 2001 until 2006, when the military ousted him for alleged
corruption and abuse of power while he was overseas. He remained in
exile until returning to Thailand in February this year.
Thaksin
and Pojaman fled to exile in Britain in August after Pojaman was
sentenced to three years in jail for tax evasion. A Thai court later
sentenced Thaksin in absentia to two years in prison for corruption.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
