Thailand says Thaksin backers may be behind blasts

BANGKOK, Jan 1 (Reuters) Thailand's military-appointed government said today supporters of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra may have been involved in a series of bombs which killed 3 people in Bangkok on New Year's Eve.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said people who had lost power, including Thaksin supporters, might have been behind the eight bombs which also wounded 38 people, nine of them foreigners, and forced the cancellation of street parties.

''Briefs from various intelligence agencies, based on evidence available, show that they came from groups that have lost political powers,'' Surayud told a news conference.

''These were not just the previous government, but include all those which have lost power in the past. We could not at this stage pinpoint which particular group was involved.'' The bloodless September 19 coup which ousted Thaksin ended a long political crisis and Surayud declined to specify what evidence there was of a political connection to the bombs.

REUTERS AKJ DS1136