Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has travelled to England on the day he was due to make a court appearance in Thailand.

The 59-year-old former Thailand prime minister and his wife Pojaman, who are on bail over corruption charges, were due to return to their homeland in time to answer court in a separate property case.

Thaksin, who has always insisted the charges are politically motivated, said in a statement: "My wife and I will stay in England where democracy is more important. What happened to me and my family and my close relations resulted from efforts to get rid of me from politics."

Thaksin and his wife were in Beijing over the weekend after a court allowed them to attend the Olympic Games opening ceremony and then flew to England rather than returning to Thailand.

The Thai court could now issue an arrest warrant for Thaksin, who was ousted in a military coup in 2006.

Thaksin completed his purchase of Manchester City in July last year while he was in exile in Britain. He returned to Thailand in February.