Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra issued an apology yesterday as part of a Songkran message posted on Facebook.
He apologised to "senior figures" whom he had offended, although he did not specify to whom he was referring.
Thaksin said that as a Buddhist raised in northern Thailand, he strongly believed in the tradition of apology and forgiveness as part of Songkran.
Thaksin Shinawatra at a humble moment. (Bangkok Post file photo)
"I would like to take the opportunity on this auspicious occasion to apologise to those phu arwuso [senior figures] I had offended verbally or physically and I also want to forgive anyone who has ever offended me verbally and physically," he wrote.
Thaksin is widely thought to be in discord with Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda and some other privy councillors.
Red shirt members have accused Gen Prem of being behind the 2006 coup that toppled Thaksin's administration.
However, the coup-makers strongly denied the involvement of the privy council president.
Songkran is a time when people should apologise and forgive one another, Thaksin said.
He added that although he has been fine while living overseas in self-exile since a 2008 corruption conviction, he did at times miss his homeland.