In short, Mr Thaksin clearly cares much more about results than the procedures that deliver them.
If elected, Thaksin says he will focus on helping to create new Thai enterprises and entrepreneurs.
But what claims most of Thaksin's time and energy these days is not business.
But as long Mr Thaksin remains in power, his opponents will struggle to maintain their self-control.
It was Thaksin who stymied all attempts to initiate due process on corruption claims against him.
Absent Thaksin, who was a rare civilian center of power in Thailand, policy has drifted.
The most recent was the ouster of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in September 2006.
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It has an inbuilt majority of parliamentarians from Mr Thaksin's and Ms Yingluck's Pheu Thai party.
Ex-Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is reported to have lodged a formal bid for the club.
These policies should reduce the chances of a backlash by Mr Thaksin's supporters in the countryside.
But much of the party's weakness is clearly a result of Mr Thaksin's aggressive tactics.
Thailand has always been open to the West and under Mr Thaksin will remain so.
But above all, Mr Thaksin had policies to pitch, and knew how to pitch them.
Mr Thaksin does not seem interested in giving the party a life of its own.
Mr Thaksin, by contrast, seemed to see merit in promoting his ideas and winning popular approval.
One reason why Mr Thaksin remains so popular is that he cracked down on the overlords.
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Mr Thaksin, despite recently having been convicted in absentia for corruption, is not giving up yet.
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Ironically, Thaksin had hoped that selling Shin would defuse criticism of a conflict of interest.
Mr Thaksin skirts the topic but insists he is ready to make peace and return home.
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In mid-December it was revealed that Mr Thaksin had been given a new Thai passport.
What should be kept in mind is that Mr Thaksin accepts absolutely no criticism.
Though Mr Thaksin took office only four months ago, two aspects of his style are already clear.
City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson said on Monday he would love club owner Thaksin Shinawatra to buy Ronaldinho.
Billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra is campaigning on a platform stressing the need to upgrade Thailand's technology skills base.
But however self-seeking and power-hungry Mr Thaksin may be, the red-shirt movement now dwarfs his individual ambition.
What made Mr Thaksin such a threat to the palace was his determination to exert similar control.
Nonetheless, the saga has proved embarrassing for Mr Thaksin, and not simply because of the king's rebuke.
Mr Thaksin's exit from politics (temporary though it may be) is actually a victory for Thai democracy.
Some PAD demonstrators are liberals protesting at the abuses of power under Mr Thaksin and Mr Samak.
Mr Thaksin faces other accusations: he is being investigated for leaving information out of his financial statement.
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