Sudarat Keyuraphan, the agriculture minister in the ousted Thaksin Shinawatra government, vows to devote more time to her family now she is out of politics.

She returned to Thailand yesterday afternoon and told reporters she would make up for lost time with her three children "and do my best to take care of my family".

Sudarat is a deputy leader of the Thai Rak Thai Party. She flew into Bangkok International Airport on a Lufthansa flight from Germany.

Accompanying Sudarat on the flight were her husband, businessman Somyos Leelapanyalert, Thai Rak Thai spokesman Sita Divari, and former Bangkok MP Yuranan Pamornmontri.

Family, friends and members of Thai Rak Thai as well as news media greeted her at the airport. Sudarat's family members welcoming her at the airport included her father and children.

Sudarat appeared relaxed and smiled most of the time upon arrival at the airport. She hugged her children and prostrated before her father before kissing him on his cheek.

There were no soldiers present nearby.

She confirmed she had spoken with overthrown prime minister Thaksin and that he had instructed her and all party members to cooperate with the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM). She said Thaksin did not tell her when he would return to Thailand.

Sudarat said she was now "out of politics temporarily" and during that time she would cooperate with the CDRM, including reporting to council leaders and assisting in an investigation into her assets.

"Don't worry. We won't cause any trouble," she said, adding she would re-enter politics "when there are new rules", referring to a rewritten Constitution.

Sudarat, one of Thaksin's most trusted aides, was abroad in France for the Everything Thai festival in Paris when her government was toppled by last Tuesday's coup.