Thailand's former deputy prime minister Sonthi Boonyaratkalin said Wednesday that he had held "brotherly talk" with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra whom he overthrew during the Sept. 19 military coup in 2006.
Speaking to reporters upon return from the visit to the Middle East, the coup leader disclosed that he telephoned ousted Thaksin at the request of a "non-partisan mediator" who wanted Thailand's national stability to be restored.
"It was a discussion without any political conditions attached," the coup leader was quoted by the state run Thai News Agency as saying. "The new coalition government will be assured of my full support."
He said that the telephone conversation took place before the wife of Thaksin, Pojaman, returned to Thailand in early January.
It was the junta leader's first comment in public since the Dec. 23 general election which the People Power Party (PPP), linked to the former prime minister, won the most seats, followed by the election of its leader, Samak Sundaravej, as the country's 25th prime minister on Monday.
The deposed prime minister, who has been living in exile abroad following the 2006 military coup, had earlier insisted he would come back after the election and the new government formed. His wife said last week he would return to fight corruption charges in May.
Sonthi toppled Thaksin's administration, accusing the telecom billionaire-cum-politician of corruption and of disloyalty to the king.
The general insisted that the coup was not a failure, and that he had no fear of being targeted for revenge after the old power clique under Thaksin makes a comeback.
Whether or not the coup was a failure is up to the public and the government to review "the lesson", but in his view, Sonthi said, the mission has been accomplished with the formation of the new government.
The now retired general did not reveal anything regarding his future plans following the departure from office this week of the military-appointed Surayud Chulanont government, with Sonthi himself most lately as deputy prime minister.
Source: Xinhua
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