THAILAND'S new foreign minister said yesterday he will visit Singapore next week on his first overseas trip, but denied that he would meet ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra in the Republic.

Mr Noppadon Pattama told reporters he would travel to Singapore on Tuesday and stay until Thursday to attend a retreat for Asean foreign ministers.

The foreign ministry had earlier indicated that Noppadon's first foreign visit would be to neighbouring Laos.

The Thai-language Matichon Daily newspaper reported on its front page that Mr Thaksin was in Singapore, but Mr Noppadon denied that the ex-leader would be there during his visit.

Mr Noppadon was Thaksin's personal attorney until he was sworn in as foreign minister last week.

"I will go to Singapore to attend the Asean foreign ministers' meeting, not to meet with Thaksin. By the time I arrive, he probably will not be there any longer," he told reporters.

"I do speak with him from time to time. He will definitely return to Thailand, but not today. He will be back before
May," Mr Noppadon said.

Mr Noppadon also said new Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej would visit neighbouring Laos on his first overseas trip later in the month or in early March.

The trip aims to boost ties with communist-ruled Laos, he told reporters. He declined to give further details.

While Thailand and Laos enjoy booming bilateral trade and tourism, they have come under heavy criticism from the United Nations and rights groups over their handling of ethnic Hmong refugees.

Hmong in the 1960s and 1970s fought alongside US forces when the Vietnam War spilled into Laos. After the war
ended in 1975, hundreds of thousands fled to Thailand on fear of persecution, and many resettled in the United States.

Thousands of Hmong still live in and around informal refugee camps in the kingdom.

Thailand's attempts to deport Hmong refugees back to Laos have been met with hunger strikes and suicide threats.