"We are confident in what we have done. We have assured the world community that we are trying to address the causes of the political crisis and to head for a better future," Surayud said.

The prime minister said he did not think the latest attack would have any adverse effect because his government had explained Thailand's situation to foreign countries shortly after it took to power six months ago.

Baker Botts LLP, an international law firm based in Texas, in the United States, launched a statement yesterday to attack the freeze on bank accounts of Thaksin, his wife and certain family members. But the statement incorrectly referred to it as "seizure of assets".

A copy of the statement by Michael Goldberg, chairman of Baker Botts' International Dispute Resolution Section, was obtained by The Nation yesterday. The statement described the freeze order by the Assets Examination Committee as "a major escalation in the Thai military junta's willingness to trample internationally accepted norms of due process and rule of law".

It stated that the move reflected the junta's "one-track political vendetta against our client, Dr Thaksin, even though he has repeatedly emphasised his willingness to assist in the reconciliation process" and his unconditional commitment to remain out of politics.

Baker Botts accused the junta of "finding means to circumvent any rule of law to persecute Dr Thaksin, his family, his friends and his business activities". It said the "arbitrary interference with [Thaksin's] privacy and his family, his private property, his business interests as well as his honour and reputation is abhorrent to principles of international justice".