Prosecutors said they'll seek Thaksin's extradition if he fails to meet a Friday deadline set by police to face charges that he concealed his ownership of millions of dollars worth of shares from the Thai stock exchange.

"He will not return to answer the charges because of safety concerns and other reasons," Noppadol Pattama, Thaksin's lawyer and de facto spokesman in Thailand, told The Associated Press.

Earlier at a news conference, Noppadol said Thaksin would not return until after an election expected to be held in December because "the country is under the rule of the military who got power in an undemocratic way" and the investigations targeting him are unfair.

The military deposed Thaksin in a bloodless coup on Sept. 19 last year after demonstrations calling for him to step down because of alleged corruption and abuse of power. One of the coup leaders' first acts was to initiate probes against Thaksin.

They installed an interim government, but retain power behind the scenes, while promising an election by December once a new constitution has been drafted and submitted to a national referendum.

Personal security was another of Thaksin's concerns, Noppadol said. Thaksin was ousted while abroad, and has divided his time since then between a residence in London and travel around Asia.

The military has consistently told Thaksin that he should not return until after the polls, saying his presence could trigger political instability.

Earlier this month, army commander Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin _ who led the coup against Thaksin _ said the former prime minister might be harmed by his enemies if he returned to Thailand now.

But Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont told reporters that the government would ensure Thaksin's safety if he returned.

"He will not return to the country even though the prime minister guarantees his safety because even Surayud is unable to guarantee the safety of people in the three southern provinces," Noppadol said, in an indirect criticism of the government for its failure to end a Muslim insurgency in Thailand's southernmost provinces.

If Thaksin fails to show up, Thailand will seek to extradite him, said Sunai Manomaiudom, director-general of the police Department of Special Investigation.

"If Thaksin demonstrates evasive behavior, we will have to issue an arrest warrant," he said.

Extradition is a complicated legal process under most circumstances, and most Western countries are reluctant to agree to it in cases where there are political overtones that suggest the suspect is being unfairly persecuted.

Thaksin and his wife, Pojamarn, have been charged with violating regulations requiring disclosure of corporate information to the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

Sunai said they and other family members controlled nearly 80 percent of SC Asset, both directly and through nominee companies, and sold their interests to outside parties last year.

They are charged with violating disclosure rules both by failing to report their ownership and failing to report the sale of shares.

Each violation of the exchange's regulations carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine of US$15,500 (€11,500) .

Thaksin became a billionaire in the telecommunications sector before entering politics and serving as prime minister in 2001-2006. He and his family are the subjects of several corruption-related probes.