Property tycoon Srettha Thavisin admitted on Friday that he met Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the Four Seasons Hotel last week.
Mr Srettha, president of the SET-listed property developer Sansiri Plc, said he met with Ms Yingluck on the seventh floor at the Bangkok hotel with six or seven others.
He said they discussed several topics with the premier including the political situation, the economy, interest rates and finance.
Ms Yingluck has been under pressure from the opposition to explain her participation in what aides have said was a private meeting. The questions arose after businessman Ekkayuth Anchanbut claimed he was struck by a former security guard of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the premier's exiled brother, at the hotel shortly after Ms Yingluck had left.
The Sansiri president came into the media limelight after Mr Ekkayuth said the premier might have had a meeting with a group of businessmen because he had seen Mr Srettha at the hotel shortly after the premier left.
Ms Yingluck did not attend the House meeting on Feb 8 and went to the five-star hotel instead, sparking speculation about whether the meeting might be a conflict of interest.
Mr Srettha said the talk was more like an “exchange of opinions”.
"I want all parties to honour the prime minister, especially given that she is a lady and the prime minister of the country,” he said.
Mr Srettha is related to Nalinee Taveesin, who was recently named a PM's Office minister, despite being on a US blacklist because of her business relationship with the wife of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
