Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra did spend a night in Malaysia, his legal adviser Noppadon Pattama confirmed on Tuesday.

Mr Noppadon said Thaksin told him that his  plane  landed at Kuala Lumpur to refuel and he left for Fiji the following day.

The deposed prime minister planned to meet four world leaders after visiting Fiji, he said.

Mr Noppadon did not say when this took place.

On Monday, Deputy Interior Minister Thaworn Sennian said that Thaksin narrowly escaped arrest after the Malaysian government informed Thailand that the fugitive politician was staying at the Shangri-la Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. 

Mr Thaworn said he understood Thaksin arrived in Malaysia on Saturday and left on Sunday.

"Somehow, Thaksin managed to get wind of the impending arrest and managed to escape," Mr  Thaworn said.