Mai's older man friend in Dubai

Singer Siriwimol ‘Mai’ Charoenpura likes older men, but denies she has a thing going for family friend Thaksin Shinawatra.

As the fugitive former leader dropped in to Cambodia to take up a controversial post as economic adviser, Mai (pictured) told journalists that she had caught up Thaksin during a Middle-East stop-over three months ago.

Mai and her mother met Thaksin and his former wife (pictured) for a meal and spot of shopping. Mai denies she fled paparazzi in Dubai.

The Grammy singer says she was travelling back from London and stopped over in the United Arab Emirates. She knew Thaksin lived in Dubai, so gave him a call.

‘We discussed claims in the Thai media that he had offered me 100 million baht to make a movie. Much as I’d love to make a film, I have never asked for the money, nor has he offered,’ she said.

Later, Thaksin and his former wife Khunying Potjaman took their guests shopping. Potjaman na Pombejra, as she is now known, bought Mai and her mum a Louis Vuitton bag each.

‘Thaksin has known my family since I was a child. While I do fancy older men, I wouldn’t be so presumptious as to think I could end up with him,’ she said, commenting on speculation that she had supplanted rock singer Saranrat 'Lydia' Wisutthithada – another Thaksin ‘family friend’ - in his affections.

In August 2007, Thaksin threw a street party in England to celebrate his purchase of the Manchester City football team. At his invitation, Mai and Lydia performed at the event.

Lydia recently signed up for a 40 million home in Samut Sakhon, and was hit by media speculation that Thaksin had bought her the place. Lydia denied it.

Earlier, an erroneous prediction by a fortune-teller that Lydia was pregnant set off speculation that Thaksin was the father. She denied that claim too, and is taking legal action against the fortune-teller who uttered the pregnancy claim.

‘Mr Thaksin has a family of his own. I am like a youngster, visiting someone my senior. He knows my parents. While I fancy older men, we don’t make eyes at each other,’ Mai said.



Image: Thaksin as a young man. He was quite a dish, back then!