Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has shrugged off former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's prediction that the Pheu Thai Party will see a landslide victory in the next general election.
In response to reports that Thaksin told reporters in Japan that he expected 220-230 MP seats for Pheu Thai in the next election, Gen Prawit was dismissive.
"Anyone can say anything," he said.
When a reporter pointed out that Thaksin's prediction was based on an opinion survey, the deputy prime minister reacted angrily.
"If you want to believe him, you can do so. Why do you ask me? I don't believe it," he said.
Reporters asked Gen Prawit if Thailand had an extradition treaty with Japan. He responded that Japan believed the Shinawatra siblings were facing political prosecution and Thai officials would have to reassure Japan that the prosecution had nothing to do with politics.
He denied that the National Council for Peace and Order were shaken by the Shinawatras moves.
Asked if their public appearance was designed to highlight the Thai government's inability to arrest them, Gen Prawit again responded emotionally, insisting that officials were taking action.
Thaksin and Yingluck were in Tokyo on Thursday to celebrate the publication of a new book by a former Japanese politician. Reports said they would stay in Japan until Sunday when they would travel to China.
Thaksin fled Thailand in 2008 just before the Supreme Court sentenced him to two years in jail for conflict of interest in which his then wife won an auction to buy a state-owned land plot in inner Bangkok in 2003 during his tenure as prime minister.
Yingluck fled the country last August just before the Supreme Court gave her a five-year prison term for failing to take action to stop widespread abuse under her rice-pledging scheme.
