Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai Prime Minister, finally went on trial in his home country on corruption charges today, almost two years after he was removed from power in a military coup.

The billionaire Manchester City football club owner was not required to attend the Supreme Court for the opening of a legal saga which could put him and his wife, Pojaman, behind bars for 13 years.

The corruption case is only one of many being brought against Mr Thaksin and his allies, and threatens to bog down a new Government — led by Thaksin loyalists — already facing mass protests in the streets.

The Supreme Court is considering whether Mr Thaksin, a self-made tycoon, illegally arranged for his wife to buy a prime chunk of Bangkok real estate for just one third its appraised value. Earlier this year Mr Thaksin year returned to Thailand from Britain, where he had been living after his military ousting, to face the charges.

He was ousted from power by military generals who accused him of widespread corruption, undermining the nation’s democracy and insulting Thailand’s revered king.

Hearings will last two months. Because the trial is taking place in the Supreme Court, Mr Thaksin and his wife would have no avenue of appeal if they lost the case.

Anek Khamchum, Mr Thaksin's lawyer, told the AFP news agency: “We are confident that our evidence will be enough to prove in the court that Thaksin and his wife are not guilty."

Mr Thaksin and his wife, who say that the charges against them are politically motivated, have already suffered several setbacks in attempting to maintain the pro-Thaksin administration which was only recently elected.

Three of his top lawyers were jailed last month over claims that they tried to bribe a judge, more than two billion dollars of his assets have been frozen, and he was recently blocked from leaving the country.

Thailand’s judges were, meanwhile, ruling on two other cases today that touched on his close supporters, including current Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

At the Constitutional Court, judges ruled that Mr Samak’s Government had wrongly signed an agreement backing a bid by neighbouring Cambodia to win UN recognition for a 900-year-old temple on the border. The court said that any matters dealing with the border required parliamentary approval, which was never sought. Analysts say that the ruling opens the door to impeachment proceedings against the entire Cabinet.

Meanwhile, later today, the Supreme Court is set to deliver a verdict on voter fraud charges against the former speaker of parliament, Yongyut Tiyapairat. That case could eventually implicate the entire ruling party and force new elections.

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