Ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has lashed out at the UK for revoking his visa, saying the British government was not respecting its own democratic values.

In an exclusive interview with Arabian Business, Thaksin said the UK would "feel sorrow" for revoking his visa.

However, Thaksin said he would only return if the people and the King of Thailand wanted him to go back.

"I think a lot depends on the power of the people. If they feel they are in hardship and they need me to help them, I will go back," he said.

"If the King feels I can be beneficial I will go back and he may grant me a royal pardon. If they don't need me and the King feels I can make no difference then I will stay here and do business."

The stinging criticism contracted his earlier statement that he chose to live in exile in UK because it was a "democratically mature" country.

Another irony was his choice of Dubai - which like Thailand is under constitutional monarchy - as a staging ground to preach democracy and attack a democratic model like UK.

"England must understand better, but unfortunately they are now busy with their own problems - so they forgot about democratic values," Thaksin said during an interview in Dubai.

Thaksin's UK visa was cancelled earlier this month following his conviction for corruption in Thailand. He had fled to the UK in 2006 following a military coup that removed him from power.

Thaksin vowed to return to Thailand at some stage, stating that he could bring confidence back to the country.

"The country is going down deeply. The confidence is not there. The trust amongst foreign community is not there. The poor people in rural areas are in difficulty," he said.

"With me at the helm I can bring confidence quickly back to Thailand. We have to find a mechanism under which I can go back, that is why I must tell you that I will go back into politics."