Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has told his red shirt supporters he will reward their core leader Jatuporn Prompan for his allegiance.
He made the vow during a Skype linkup before a crowd of 50,000 red shirt supporters on Saturday.
His promise to Mr Jatuporn, a Pheu Thai list MP who was passed over for a cabinet seat in the government, is an indication that Thaksin still wields final authority as the de facto leader of the Pheu Thai Party-led government.
He made his remarks on a big screen erected at the Bonanza Khao Yai Hotel in Nakkhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district, where a concert was held to persuade Thais not to allow another coup and to support the governments' effort to amend to the constitution.
During the concert, he tried to appease red shirts who might be dismayed that Mr Jatuporn was not appointed to the cabinet in the most recent reshuffle.
"Mr Jatuporn is most suited to become a minister, but I have my own way of rewarding him," Thaksin told the red shirts.
Thaksin also said he had recently talked to powerful figures in the government and told them to expedite the payment of 7.5 million baht in compensation to each family who lost a loved one during the political chaos in 2010.
This clearly reflects Thaksin's key role in the last cabinet reshuffle and that co-leaders of the red shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship still have influence over the government. As the leaders enjoy a strong support base from the red shirt legions, Thaksin is obliged to shower the group's leadership base with rewards.
Thaksin also indicated that he played a part in helping the Yingluck Shinawatra administration contact foreign countries to support the government's policies.
It was he who liaised with Beijing and the Chinese business sector to provide assistance to Thailand during the flood crisis last year as well as to help produce 800,000 tablet computers for Thai students.
However, it would do more harm than good for Thaksin to assert himself politically in the open.
If he does, it will only cause more headaches for Prime Minister Yingluck, his younger sister, who has struggled to deny that she is not Thaksin's puppet.
But Thaksin's remarks also showed he is happy with progress towards reconciliation.
A UDD source said Thaksin is confident he can steer the government and support its efforts to improve the economy and get the state of politics in better shape. The source said Thaksin was sure future conflicts would not be intense and could be managed.
Signs of reconciliation were also evident when parliament voted to debate two measures that would create a constitution drafting assembly to rewrite the charter, the source said. The government also plans to pursue legislation on reconciliation aimed at bringing about national harmony through dialogue, not political revenge.
Noppadon Pattama, Thaksin's legal adviser, has again rejected suggestions Thaksin is the real leader of the government. Mr Noppadon said Thaksin's show of appreciation for Mr Jatuporn should not be misconstrued and that the authority to appoint a cabinet minister rests solely with Prime Minister Yingluck.