Thaksin defends Man City takeover money

BANGKOK, Aug 3 (Reuters) Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra says the money he used to buy English Premier League club Manchester City was legitimate, denouncing Thai accusations to the contrary as politically motivated.

''The money I had came from the sale of the assets of my own family's companies, from nowhere else, only this,'' Thaksin told the Manchester City Web site (ww.mcfc.co.uk) in a web cast interview heard by Reuters today.

''So the allegations in Thailand are politically motivated to justify the junta staging the coup against me -- that's it.'' Thailand's graft-busting Asset Examination Committee (AEC), set up after last year's bloodless coup, said on Wednesday the takeover money was never mentioned in the asset declarations all Thai politicians have to make.

It ordered commercial banks last month to freeze 73 billion baht 2.16 billion dollar of Thaksin's money in domestic accounts, accusing him of amassing wealth during five years in office by abusing his power and looking to freeze his overseas assets.

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