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CANBERRA - Inspired by a weekend of golf and sun-drenched harbour views, ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is shopping for a seaside mansion in Sydney.
The Bangkok billionaire, deposed in a bloodless military coup last September, said he had asked a friend to find him a waterside home in Sydney's wealthy eastern suburbs, where houses routinely cost A$10 million ($11.51 million).
"Sometimes it's too cold in London. I better stay here in Sydney," Thaksin said.
Thaksin, in Australia for a holiday away from his London home, spent the weekend playing golf at the Capital Golf Club in Melbourne and the exclusive The Lakes course in Sydney.
"I think Sydney is very safe and I have friends here. I like Australia," he told the Australian newspaper.
Thaksin said his ousting and subsequent exile from his homeland had given him time to spend with his family again, ruling out any desire to return to Thai politics.
He said the only thing he was considering was stock market investment and charity work.
- REUTERS
