Paroled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's planned visit to the Pheu Thai Party's headquarters on Tuesday is to facilitate an opportunity to meet with party MPs, not to show his control over the coalition-core party, key Pheu Thai figures said.
Phumtham Wechayachai, former Pheu Thai secretary-general, said on Monday that Thaksin's planned visit would not signal any special meaning but it would only provide Pheu Thai members and MPs with a convenient way to meet "the person who they admire and respect".
"It would be inconvenient for Pheu Thai members to visit Thaksin at his residence because that would cause congestion in the vicinity," said Mr Phumtham, who is also a deputy prime minister and the commerce minister.
Thaksin would meet Pheu Thai MPs and members and would not attend any party meeting, he said.
Mr Phumtham denied criticism that Thaksin's expected presence at Pheu Thai headquarters would undermine the leadership of Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin.
Prime Minister's Office Minister Puangpet Chunlaiad said every Pheu Thai MP and party member wanted to see Thaksin and it was difficult for them to visit him at his residence. Thaksin's visit would not have any political significance, she said.
Deputy Transport Minister Monporn Charoensri said Thaksin was the founder of the Thai Rak Thai Party which later became the People's Power Party and then Pheu Thai, so he would naturally want to meet Pheu Thai MPs after his return to the country.
Pheu Thai had its weekly meetings on Tuesdays, she said. It was reported that Thaksin would visit the party headquarters on Tuesday afternoon.
Thaksin, 75, returned to the country on Aug 22 last year. On the same day, he was brought to the Supreme Court, which sentenced him to eight years in jail in three cases.
He was then taken to the Bangkok Remand Prison, but late that night - or early the next morning - corrections officials moved him to Police General Hospital, saying he needed modern treatment equipment for several critical conditions, including chest pain, hypertension and low blood oxygen.
Last September his jail term was reduced to one year. Then critics repeatedly asked why Thaksin was not returned to prison while corrections and medical officials insisted on his prolonged critical health problems.
Last month Thaksin was paroled and discharged from Police General Hospital. He had stayed there for six months.
According to judicial authorities, he met the criteria for parole because he is over 70 years old, was seriously ill and was considered to have served at least six months of his jail term despite being admitted to Police General Hospital.
On March 14, Thaksin paid his respects to the City Pillar Shrine in Bangkok, showing signs of improved health, before leaving for his native province of Chiang Mai.
