The defence chief said: 'Sonthi has to run for office because the goal of the coup has not yet been achieved. The old regime could still be resurrected. Thaksin has not been completely suppressed.'

So, he added, the coup leader believed he needed to win elected office so that he can 'sweep all the dirt' left by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Gen Sonthi, who overthrew the billionaire in a bloodless coup last September, has remained vague about his political ambitions amid mounting speculation in the Thai media that he could lead a new military-backed party.

On Monday, local media reported political observers' stinging disdain for the coup leader's apparent ambitions.

The defence chief's remarks were the clearest indication yet that the country's military plans to retain some role in government after the election, as Gen Sonthi has thus far been vague about his political ambitions.

'I anticipate that junta leader Sonthi will run in the coming election but not as a party leader,' Gen Boonrawd said.

'He will run as an at-large candidate for a party, but not a party set up especially for military rulers to run.'

He added that that was because his comrade was not confident of winning the polls. As he put it: 'If he were a party leader, he would lose. Sonthi has said before that he is not capable of becoming prime minister, but he can take care of the army.'

The minister also said the military still feared that Thaksin could try to stage a return from exile, even after an army-appointed court recently disbanded his party and banned him from elected office for five years.

Thaksin has announced publicly his retirement from politics.

Gen Boonrawd said: 'The next time bomb is after the election, because he will mobilise all his resources to come back. No one else has such rich resources. He will come back, and he intends to win.'

He also warned that if the Thais reject the junta's newly unveiled draft Constitution in a referendum set for Aug 19, the election 'would be delayed and there would be a lot of political movements that would lead to turmoil'.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK