Hong Kong  - Hong Kong is close to agreeing on an extradition treaty with Thailand that could be used to send ousted prime minster Thaksin Shinawatra back home, a news report said Sunday.

Talks are at an advanced stage over the wide-ranging treaty which could affect regular visitor Thaksin, facing a two-year jail sentence for corruption in Thailand, according to the Sunday Morning Post.

Hong Kong  - Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was Sunday reportedly considering whether to deliver a controversial Hong Kong speech via video link.

Thaksin on Saturday cancelled an appearance scheduled for Monday at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong amid threats by Thailand to seek his extradition.

Hong Kong  - A talk by fugitive former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Hong Kong next week was still scheduled to go ahead Friday despite calls for his extradition to Thailand.

The controversial former premier is due to give a talk at Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCC) on Monday at a luncheon attended by more than 100 people who have paid around 20 US dollars for their tickets.

The plans reportedly annoyed his successor Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who threatened to lobby mainland China for Thaksin's extradition. The business-tycoon-turned-politician was handed a jail sentence last year for breaching corruption rules while in office.

Bangkok  - Thailand's fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra can now lay his hands on just 500 million dollars - about a tenth of his estimated previous wealth, the Nation newspaper said Friday.

The founder of Thailand's biggest telecoms conglomerate was thought to be worth around 5 billion dollars before he was ousted in a September 2006 military coup.

Bangkok  - Thailand's convicted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra has lost his diplomatic "red" passport after failing to appeal an abuse of power sentence, media reports said Tuesday.

Thaksin's diplomatic passport was revoked by the Foreign Ministry Friday as Thailand was under a caretaker government.

The Foreign Ministry said the decision was made after Thaksin failed to appeal an October 21 verdict of the Supreme Court that sentenced him to two years in jail for abuse of power when he was prime minister in 2003.

Bangkok  - The ex-wife of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra has made a surprise return to Thailand at a time when the country's political parties are jockeying among themselves to form a new coalition government.

Pojaman Damapong, who has resumed her maiden name after divorcing Thkasin on November 14, arrived at Suvarnabhumi International Airport from Hong Kong at 10:30 pm Friday.