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Published on February 29, 2008

Deputy Finance Minster Pradit Pataraprasit's family owns the property and that was probably one reason why it was chosen.

The hotel not only provides the Shinawatras and their entourage very comfortable accommodation, but also safety and security as well.

Yesterday, guests at the Peninsula Hotel found under their doors a letter from the manager informing them that a very important person would be arriving at the hotel the next day.

Guests were advised to carry room keys on their persons for security purposes. The manager said among the security measures would be discrete searches of their belongings.

The next day, shoppers arriving by shuttle boat from the Oriental Pier were welcomed by security guards who passed them through metal detectors and inspected their bags.

The hotel's public relations staff refused to give any information including photographs of the floors that they were occupying.

Thaksin Shinawatra booked three floors, from the 33rd to the 35th , comprising 11 suites.

Each suite costs Bt106,000 per night.

The rooms are for Thaksin and family members as well as their entourage.

Called the Peninsula Suite, each unit features almost everything one would need in a house including a living room, private dining room, private study, bedroom, bathrooms, butler and even a fully equipped fitness room with a total space of 634 square metres.

The master bedroom features a super king-size bed, with electronic control panels on each bedside table.

It also has a private study, short-wave radio receiver and separate dressing areas.

The master bathroom has a "whirlpool", two separate vanity counters, shower cubicle, two telephones, two cordless phones, two television sets and a valet button.

The living and dining rooms are equipped with a 41-inch television screen and a hi-fi stereo set with a centralised speakers system.

The balcony provides scenic views of the Chao Phya River with deck chairs.

The Nation