Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra gestures while explaining to reporters how an accident involving his motorcade took place en route to Don Muang military airport yesterday.

Ministers and military brass were caught off guard yesterday when caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shina-watra hastily ordered them to accompany him to Pyinmana, the new capital of military-ruled Burma, for a half-day surprise visit that nobody knew anything about.

The manner in which the trip was conducted has prompted speculation and condemnation from various quarters.

Thaksin was just as ambiguous prior to leaving as on his return, refusing to go into detail about his visit or explain the hurried manner in which trip was put together.

"We covered everything from social issues, economic and politics and bilateral and multilateral issues. I can't go into details," Thaksin told scores of reporters about his rare meeting with Burma's paramount and reclusive leader, Senior General Than

Shwe.

Thaksin was accompanied by a high-level delegation that included Foreign Minister Kantathi Supha-mongkhon, Agriculture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Yongyuth Tiyapairat, and army chief, General Sonthi Boon-yaratglin. Sonthi was forced to cancel a visit to the restive South, despite more than 100 attacks by militants attacks since late Tuesday night.

The Army chief said he had a separate meeting with the third in command of the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), General Thura Shwe Mann, during which they agreed to strengthen border cooperation.

Sources at Government House and the Army headquarters said they were informed of the trip only hours before Thaksin's departure - a rarity for Burma, where visits by ministers or heads of government are generally planned months in advance.

Thaksin flew on a Thai military plane directly to Pyinmana, 400 kilometres north of Rangoon. He is the first Asean leader to visit the new Burmese capital. A government source said Thaksin telephoned Philippines President Gloria Arroyo before departure to inform Manila, the current chair of Asean, of his visit.

Sonthi was said to have been frustrated at the last-minute order, because he sees the attacks in the South as requiring immediate attention.

Kantathi had to cancel a brainstorming session on Thailand's position on UN reform.

The visit comes less than a week after the Kuala Lumpur regional forum, in which Asian and Western nations criticised Burma for its failure to fulfil promises of democratic reforms.

The visit also came on the same day US President George W Bush signed legislation renewing economic sanctions on Burma to signal his "serious concern" about the military regime there, the White House said in a statement.

The US legislation, anchored on the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, extends by three years an American ban on imports from Burma.

Bush also called on the international community and the United Nations to support the people of Burma as Washington continues to seek UN Security Council condemnation of the junta.

In Bangkok, speculation was rife over the reasons for Thaksin's trip. Former senator and caretaker of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Kraisak Chonhavan, described the trip as "inappropriate". "Since he went there in an official capacity, Thai people are entitled to be informed," Kraisak said.

He suspected the trip was for Thaksin's personal benefit, referring to the Bt4-billion loan that Thailand's Exim Bank approved for the Burmese government to rent a satellite from Shin Sat - which until recently was owned by Thaksin's family.

However, a source at Government House said Thaksin may have gone to Burma to join the race with China and India for exclusive rights to Burma's north-western natural gas reserves.

People's Alliance for Democracy spokesman Suriyasai Takasila suspected the visit was more personal in nature and could possibly involve some secret business deal.

Caretaker Energy Minister Viset Choopiban said he did not know Thaksin's itinerary. When asked if the trip involved PTT Plc's bid for another gas exploration field in Burma, Viset said it was not officially so. "I just asked him to look into the possibility when he is there," he said.

On Monday, Agence France-Presse quoted Chitrapongse Kwangsukstith, PTT senior executive vice president for exploration and production, as saying PTT had joined the race for Burma's north-western gas reserves.

"We have expressed interest to buy gas from Myanmar's [Burma's] A1 block," he said.