The junta decided Tuesday that his trip violated bans on political activities imposed shortly after the military ousted Thaksin in a bloodless coup in September, she said.

"He will be prosecuted for disobeying an official order. All of his activities, including meetings with students and discussions on Thai Rak Thai policies, are political activities."

Chaturon has said he informed the junta of his trip last week, but the junta denied he had told them of his travel plans.

The spokeswoman did not say what the penalty would be for violating the ban.

Chaturon took the reins of TRT after the coup as scores of top-level members defected from the once-mighty party.

TRT has enjoyed broad support in northern Thailand, where Thaksin's populist policies boosted rural incomes and helped pull farmers out of poverty. He is planning to visit northern provinces in the near future.

The junta has refused to lift its ban on political activities more than five months after the coup, even as Thailand is supposed to be preparing for a referendum on a new constitution and elections later this year.

All of the country's major parties have urged the junta to lift the ban so that they can take part in ongoing talks on drafting a new constitution.

The Nation