Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra, the wife of ousted prime minister Thaksin, offered to have their assets seized if they were found to have been obtained illegally, during her high-profile meeting with Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda on Thursday, a source close to Prem said yesterday.

Pojaman also offered to donate an unidentified amount from the family's fortune to charity, according to the source. She then asked Prem to allow Thaksin's return to Thailand.

Responding to her offer, Prem said he had no authority to make any agreement with her in this regard and he told her to talk with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and Council for National Security chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, according to the source. Prem yesterday refused to comment on his meeting with Pojaman, saying he had nothing to say in addition to what his close aide General Oud Buengbon had told the media.

Facing a crowd of reporters after presiding over a seminar about the sufficiency economy, Prem appeared annoyed.

"Keep a distance from me. Don't panic. Nothing is exciting. I know what you will all ask me. Don't ask," Prem told reporters, even before they raised any question.

"General Oud Buengbon has already explained everything. That's it. There was nothing more than that," he said and walked to his car.

Prem landed himself in hot water on Thursday by allowing Pojaman to meet him for about 15 minutes at his residence, a meeting many observers saw as inappropriate.

Critics complained that people would wonder about hidden deals and the Privy Council chief's influence.

Oud, who is a member of the National Legislative Assembly, admitted he had made the appointment for Pojaman to see Prem at her request.

But, he said, there was no discussion about politics or the possibility of Thaksin returning to Thailand, as Pojaman met Prem simply to pay her respects and ask about each other's well-being.

Assets Examination Committee member Kaewsan Atibodhi, meanwhile, said the country was in jeopardy as the government actually had no power to rule the country. Instead, the only man [Prem] who held any real clout did not need to be responsible for anything, he said.

"If the system carries on like this, it will finally crumble," Kaewsan added.

Acting Thai Rak Thai Party leader Chaturon Chaisang said the Prem-Pojaman meeting did not involve his party, and was a personal matter.

The new ruling body should not be concerned about the Thai Rak Thai trying to bring back Thaksin to the country as its members have no such plan, Chaturon said.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva believes Pojaman wanted to turn the meeting with Prem into a political issue.

"I don't understand why Prem allowed Pojaman to meet him. Many people are concerned about its implication because it involved Thaksin's possible return to Thailand," he said.