Suggestions that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra held unsuccessful talks with an exiled separatist group before the series of bombings in the far South last Saturday are without foundation, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung told the House of Representatives on Thursday.
The deputy premier in charge of security affairs was replying to a question in the House from Prasert Pongsuwansiri, a Democrat MP from Yala.
Mr Prasert said some websites reported that the March 31 car bombings in Yala and Songkhla followed unsuccessful talks between Thaksin and leaders of a separatist movement.
"What matters did Thaksin discuss with the movement," Mr Prasert asked.
Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung: No Pulo-Thaksin talks.
Mr Chalerm categorically denied the report.
Mr Prasert said the website of the Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo), a separatist group known to have been long inactive, showed a picture of Thaksin and a Pulo leader with their arms around each other. The MP said Mr Chalerm should check the website himself.
The opposition MP also asked if it was true that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra learned of Thaksin's talks with Pulo at a cabinet meeting after the car bombings.
Mr Chalerm said the report and picture posted on the Pulo website were unreliable and he paid no attention to it.
He said it was not true that Ms Yingluck learned of any Thaksin-Pulo talks at the cabinet meeting because on that day she abruptly left to fly to Songkhla, leaving Mr Chalerm to chair the meeting.
Mr Chalerm also said he planned to set up a rear-line headquarters of the operating command for solving southern problems and would invite MPs in the area and the Democrat Party and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to give advice.
Mr Abhisit said he would be glad to cooperate but needed assurance that doing so was not against Sections 265 and 266 of the charter which prohibit MPs from interfering in the work of government officials.
The former prime minister said he would like Ms Yingluck to attend the House meeting because the report on her elder brother's meeting with the Pulo leadership did not appear only on websites but was also confirmed by many other sources.
Gen Prem Tinsulanonda
Privy Council president and statesman Prem Tinsulanonda said he was perplexed by the bombing on Saturday in Yala and Hat Yai.
"I was baffled and confused after hearing about these violent incidents in the South. They should not happen," Gen Prem said.
When reporters asked him about Chartthaipattana Party chief adviser Sanan Kachornprasart's idea for a reconciliation meeting between Gen Prem and Thaksin, he declined to answer.
"You should ask Maj Gen Sanan, but I'm fine even if I'm being frequently referred to by other people," Gen Prem said.