New Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont confirmed that Malaysia's ex-premier had brokered secret talks between Thai officials and Muslim leaders from the insurgency-hit Thai south.

A spokesman from Mahathir Mohamad's office said earlier this month that the ex-premier had arranged meetings between Thai officials and leaders from the Muslim-majority southern provinces in the last quarter of 2005.

His comments came amid indications from Thailand's new military leaders, who seized power in a bloodless coup last month, that authorities want to hold peace talks to try and resolve the insurgency in the south.

"I have not yet studied it in detail, but as far as I know Lieutenant General Vaipot Srinual took part in talks, but I haven't invited him to explain it in detail yet," Thailand's army-installed premier told reporters.

Vaipot was then commander of Armed Forces Security Center attached to Thai Supreme Command before he was moved by the junta to be head of the National Intelligence Agency.

Good sign

Surayud expressed his optimism over the talks, which are believed to have been held at least twice in Langkawi island and Putra Jaya, in Malaysia. It is not clear which Thai Muslim leaders attended the talks.

"I think that a good sign that they have met some time ago, but I don't know who they have talked with, only that the meetings were arranged by Mahathir," Surayud said.

Asked if he planned to visit the southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, he said he did not think it would useful until the new government's policy on the area had been finalised.

Thailand's coup leader Sonthi Boonyaratglin last week confirmed that authorities want to hold peace talks with insurgents and a Thai official said discussions would start early next month.

Separatist violence and other unrest in southern Thailand has killed more than 1,500 since January 2004.