Speaking to reporters upon his arrival from London where he had been with Thaksin, Surakiart said he did not discuss any political issues with ousted premier, in spite of having been with him throughout the turmoil.

"Everything is over. The ex-prime minister didn't say anything. He just wanted to take a rest," Surakiart said.

Surakiart's statement was in stark contrast to his live interview with CNN on Tuesday when he strongly defended Thaksin's hold on power to the last minute, in spite of the fact that the coup leaders and their tanks and soldiers were firmly in control of the capital.

"…We have reasons to believe that they are backing off because there is no further development on any of the Thai television channels after the prime minister already issued a declaration of state of emergency," Surakiart told Stephen Frazier, the commentator for CNN International.

When pointed out by Frazier that CNN footage from Bangkok was showing a different picture - one that showed the coup leaders being in charge - Surakiart suggested that the picture may not reflect real time.

"I have been told the military personnel at the highest level have already reported to the supreme command-in-chief and the supreme command-in-chief has already reported to the acting prime minister, so I think they are probably on their way to give new instructions for the tanks and armoured vehicles to go back to their barracks," Surakiart said.

But in Bangkok yesterday, Surakiart told reporters that Thaksin has admitted defeat and added he has no idea as to how long the ousted premier would remain in London or whether he would seek asylum abroad.

Surakiart was accompanying Thaksin to New York to attend the UN General Assembly where the latter was supposed to deliver a speech, but had to be removed from the roster just hours before it was to take place because of the political upheaval.

Thaksin was also to lobby UN members to support Surakiart's candidacy. The delegates left for London after it was clear that the situation in Bangkok was irreversible.

Surakiart is expected to report to the Council for Democratic Reform Under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM), the given of the junta.

Surakiart is expected scrutiny by the Office of the Auditor General over his involvement with the issuing of the Bt7 billion E-Passport Project, which has been plagued with irregularity. He had authorised when he was the foreign minister.