Shinawatrastripped of £910min assets

The country’s Supreme Court did not take the full 1.5 billion frozen after he was overthrown as prime minister in a 2006 coup.

It said that “to seize all the money would be unfair since some of it was made before Thaksin became prime minister”.

The verdict brings an end to a case for alleged massive corruption and abuse of power which began after the coup.

The verdict was expected be celebrated by Thaksin’s foes, protested by his supporters and potentially inflame Thailand’s four-year political crisis.

Security was tight around the courthouse as the nine-judge panel took more than seven hours to read its verdict against Thaksin and his family. The proceedings were broadcast live on national television.

Thaksin, who faces a two-year jail term from an earlier conviction, monitored the proceedings from exile in Dubai, where he provided a commentary via a video link and Twitter.

He said shortly after the verdict: “This is total political involvement. The government knew the result in advance.

“I’ve been prepared for the result since yesterday. I knew that I would get hit, but they are kind enough to give me back 30 billion (baht).”

An unknown portion of Thaksin’s wealth was earlier moved abroad.

Hundreds of Thaksin supporters at the headquarters of the opposition Puea Thai party, which is allied to Thaksin, booed as the verdict was read.

The court ruled that Thaksin illegally concealed his ownership of shares in Shin, the family’s telecommunications empire, and abused his authority by crafting government policies to benefit Shin’s businesses.

The court addressed five cases of alleged “policy corruption” one of which involved a low-interest government loan to Burma in 2004, which the court ruled Thaksin had endorsed with the intention of securing its purchase of satellite services from Shin Satellite, then controlled by Thaksin’s family.