Noppadon Pattama, egal adviser to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, shows a three-page letter written by Thaksin, who denied he had a hand in the bomb blasts. Thaksin also claimed that he did not resort to violence even when he was faced with pres

Former premier Thaksin Shinawatra insists he had nothing to do with the New Year's Eve bombs in Bangkok.

"I swear that I have never thought of hurting and spoiling the happiness of people, or destroying the country's credibility for political goals," he said in a hand-written letter faxed from Beijing.

[See Thakin's hand-written letter]

It condemned the deadly attacks on innocent people.

Thaksin's lawyer Noppadon Pattama displayed the three-page document - which he said Thaksin faxed to him from China yesterday morning - at a press conference at the Central Sofitel Hotel in the afternoon.

Thaksin also claimed that he had never resorted to violence when he came under pressure from his political enemies.

It was the ex-premier's first public response to thinly veiled allegations from authorities that his allies were behind the eight bombs in the capital, which left three people dead and more than 30 others wounded.

Thaksin said in his note the new government was too quick to conclude that an "old power clique" was responsible for the blasts.

Judging from the materials and methods used, the explosions were probably the work of militants from the deep South, he said, pointing to last year's bombing in Songkhla's business capital Hat Yai.

On Monday, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and Council for National Security chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin claimed "people who lost power" were responsible for the bombs on Sunday night.

Thai Rak Thai Party spokesman Sita Divari called on Surayud to identify clearly who he was referring to. He said the blanket accusation had harmed the party's reputation.

Thaksin said in his letter that he would return to Thailand to face "any allegations" if he was tried by a justice system that adheres to international standards. He had refrained from political activities and postponed his return to Thailand for the sake of reconciliation.

Claims that he was not loyal to His Majesty the King were untrue.

"Members of the public should have been well aware that I always treated His Majesty highly throughout my terms in office," his letter read.

He admitted he had flaws and might have committed mistakes but held "no bad intentions towards the country or the top institution that we highly revere". He wished the Thai people a Happy New Year.