Outgoing Prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra holds up a picture of his children yesterday during an emotional farewell from Government House officials. The family portrait had previously sat on his desk.

Thaksin's low-key activities included chairing his last Cabinet meeting, playing host to a luncheon of shark fin soup for his ministers and clearing out two truck loads of personal effects from his office.

"Hurry and take my picture because this good-looking man will not be available anymore," Thaksin said, joking with news cameramen on the Government House beat.

After his televised announcement not to accept the premiership for a third term on Tuesday night, he arrived at his office with a well-choreographed departure plan.

Two personal doctors, Sathien Phuprasert and Boonchai Pongpaiboon, performed a check-up on Thaksin in his office and recommended a rest because his recurring cold had worsened due to fatigue over the past two weeks.

After his doctors left, he held the Cabinet meeting. Most ministers dressed in black - considered the colour of mourning.

Because the weekly meeting took place the day before, yesterday's meeting had no key agenda and Thaksin devoted time for photo opportunities.

He said he wanted the pictures as mementoes to remind him how he had aged after more than five years in office.

In between the photo sessions, he told his ministers that he was looking forward to having privacy and time for himself.

"From now on, I expect to go places without a large entourage tagging along," he said.

While ministers were enjoying a catered lunch, there was an electrical short circuit in a nearby building - triggering speculations on possible omens.

Inner-circle ministers lined up to bid farewell to Thaksin including Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, Newin Chidchob, Suranand Vejjajiva and Suriya Jungrungreangkit.