BANGKOK - THAILAND'S government is pushing forward on talks with foreign countries on the possible extradition of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, the foreign minister said on Sunday.

Foreign minister Kasit Piromya said officials and prosecutors had held talks with Chinese and Hong Kong authorities on pursuing the billionaire ex-prime minister and would shortly speak with officials in Dubai.

Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and is living in exile to avoid a two-year jail term for corruption. He said earlier this month that he was in Dubai after months of keeping his whereabouts secret.

He has given several speeches to protesters in Bangkok in recent days via videolink from an unknown location, and he abruptly cancelled plans to appear in person at an event in Hong Kong in early March.

'Prosecutors and the foreign ministry talked to Hong Kong and China recently about the extradition and will talk to Dubai next week,' Mr Kasit said in the annual meeting of the ruling Democrat Party.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said earlier on Sunday that the government would keep up efforts to find Thaksin but that everything would be done in line with the law.

In an address to thousands of demonstrators surrounding Abhisit's office on Saturday, Thaksin urged the government to tackle Thailand's economic and social problems instead of pursuing his extradition.

A day earlier he accused two former prime ministers of being behind the coup three years ago and called for fresh elections.

Thailand remains deeply divided between Thaksin's supporters, primarily the rural and urban poor, and his foes among the old power cliques in the palace, military and Bangkok elite.

The former premier was sentenced in absentia in October to two years in prison for abuse of power linked to a 2003 land deal. Since his ouster, he has hopped around the world, with his travels including a brief stint as the owner of English football club Manchester City. -- AFP