BangkokPost.com with Agency reports Ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra is to personally sponsor the Thai national football team's trip to train for upcoming World Cup qualifying matches with Manchester City of the Premier League. Worawi Makudi, president of the Football Association of Thailand, revealed that Mr Thaksin is the financial angel who has offered to pay most of the bill to get the Thai team to Manchester for 11 days of training next month with the third-place Premiership squad. Reuters news agency quoted Mr Worawi as saying: "If we want to go to the World Cup, this is what we have to do. Manchester City are keen to help us, they signed some of our players and they are happy to pay for our preparation." The offer, and the quick decision by the FAT to accept it, are certain to raise political criticism as the campaign for the Dec 23 election heats up. Mr Thaksin insists he has quit politics. The Palang Prachachon (People Power) party dedicated to his populist policies insists it wants to get elected next month in order to bring Mr Thaksin back to Thailand. He has been in exile since the Sept 19, 2006 coup. The ex-premier, who faces legal charges brought by a military-appointed government, bought Manchester City Football Club earlier this year. He poured $80 million into the club to hire manager Sven Goran Eriksson and new players. City have made their best league start in a century and are third in the Premier League. Earlier this week, Thailand was drawn into a round for World Cup qualifying which includes Japan, Oman and Bahrain. The Thais believe they can further advance out of the round. Thailand manager Kittiratt Na Ranong said, "I am not afraid of Japan. We defeated Oman in the Asian Cup. Bahrain are strong but I believe we can get past them."