The pundits laughed at Thaksin, but his economic populism is spreading in Asia, even as he leaves. In political terms, Thaksin Shinawatra is all but a spent force. Two weeks ago Thailand 's former prime minister slipped quietly abroad to the safety of his mansions in the United Kingdom, ending expectations that his triumphant January homecoming from exile after his ouster in a bloodless coup in 2006 might presage his return to national politics . Thaksin justified his flight saying the string of corruption and other charges now working their way through the Thai courts "have been prejudged to get rid of me and my family." The self-made billionaire's surprise exit triggered fierce debates over the validity of the charges he faces, whether Bangkok should pursue extradition and the future of Thaksin's political machine. Yet almost nothing has been said about Thaksin's most enduring legacy: a bottom-up approach to economics with widespread appeal across the de