"His reason for wanting to return is understandable. He needs to come to fight the charges" made by a powerful anti-corruption panel, army-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont told reporters.

"He does not have to seek permission" from the military junta to return, Surayud said, although Thaksin would need to notify investigators on the Assets Examination Committee (AEC).

"It's his right to come back and answer the charges made by the AEC. We're all equal under the law."

General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, the junta leader, also said he would not oppose Thaksin's return.

Sonthi said Thaksin "would not be detained" because he has not yet been convicted of a crime.

The military-appointed anti-graft committee late Monday ordered a freeze on at least 52.9 billion baht (1.52 billion dollars) belonging to Thaksin's family.

That ruling followed an order in late May by a military-installed court that disbanded Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party and banned the billionaire as well as 110 other party officials from running for office for five years.

Graft investigators have also recommended that criminal charges be filed against Thaksin over a land deal, while his wife has been charged with tax evasion and his children face a 789-million-dollar tax bill.