Rite seeks to absolve Thaksin of 'past life bad karma'

The rite, a combination of animism, voodoo and Buddhism, was performed by the abbot of Wat Umong and eight other monks, as well as a pro-Thaksin trance medium. It was presided over by General Chaisit Shinawatra, Thaksin's cousin and former supreme commander of the armed forces.

His supporters expected the Lanna-style ceremony to help relieve Thaksin of bad luck and ward off evil coming his way. About 300 people took part in the rite.

A large framed photo of Thaksin was placed on a stand at the venue. The fugitive ex-leader was unable to attend as he has fled abroad and lives in self-imposed exile.

A woman in her 50s, who is from the pro-Thaksin Rak Chiang Mai 51 group, acted as a trance medium.

She announced that in his previous life, Thaksin was a local warrior king who committed sins by killing his Burmese enemies and taking their money and Buddha images. The sins were said to be having a negative effects on Thaksin in his current life.

Offerings in the forms of coins, meat, rice, liquor and fruit were ceremoniously presented to an ancient Burmese king, before a Buddha statue.

Thaksin's supporters also included the naming of his political enemies - coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin and People's Alliance for Democracy co-leader Sondhi Limthongkul - in the superstitious rite. It was supposed that the evil warded off from the former premier would be directed at them instead.

Chaisit, Thaksin's cousin, rejected a report that Thaksin "needed" the rite because he was ill. He said the rite was in fact aimed at "clearing off all the past sins" for Thaksin.