Former prime minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has made his sensational return to a media limelight with his comments that left leaders of the interim government and the Council for National Security wondering what was in his mind.

Over the weekend, Gen Chavalit called on the CNS to allow exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra back to Thailand and criticised the military council for having appointed too many Armed Forces generals to executive boards of major state enterprises.

His warning on possible adverse consequence of the state enterprise board appointments touched off wild speculation on a possible new coup against the CNS and thus provoked stern responses from leaders of the military council.

The Chavalit issue became a hot topic picked up in columns on Thailanguage newspapers on Monday.

Thai Rath's Political Desk wrote on an article in the newspaper that while some CNS members thought that Chavalit's comments were nothing worth serious attention, there could be something that should not be totally overlooked.

Quoting CNS Chairman Gen Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the article said it was Chavalit who called for a coup against the Thaksin government during a class reunion of the Army Special Operations Centre's alumni a few months before the coup really took place.

"Chavalit once called for a coup and it finally took place. That was a proof what he said could not be totally overlooked. The old soldier never die," said the article.

A Thai Rath columnist, Lom Plianthit, meanwhile, said in his Maihet Prathetthai column that Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and Sonthi should heed Chavalit's warning on the appointments of Armed Forces generals to state enterprise boards.

"His voice is a big one to reckon with, not a small one to overlook," the columnist said.

In Matichon newspaper, columnist Chalothorn wrote in his column that although Chavalit had earlier given confusing comments on various issues, his view about allowing Thaksin to come back to Thailand and be put under a close watch of the CNS might have an underlying meaning.

"He might have seen something politically sensitive if Thaksin continue to move free outside the country," said the columnist.

Daily News'  Raingan Sathannakan Ron column said Chavalit's controversial comments came after a group of former MPs from his defunct New Aspiration Party reportedly met him to urge him to return to politics while Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai Party is facing an uncertain political future.

"Certain politicians might be trying to find a new stronghold and thus turned to Chavalit as their new potential leader," the article said.

Naew Na's Political Desk. Meanwhile, wrote in the Pa Praden Ron column that Chavalit's political bombshell might have something to do with his failure to get his men some posts in the interim Surayud Cabinet although some of them were appointed members of the National Legislative Assembly.

 Krungthep Turakij newspaper's editorial said Chavalit's opinion on military top brass taking executive posts in state enterprise boards understandably reflected his concern over possible drawbacks of the generals' involvement in business despite their inadequate skills in the field.

"The CNS should ponder if it is following the old path of many military leaders who had earlier failed in their roles as state enterprise executives," the editorial said.

The Nation