BANGKOK, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont Wednesday countered ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's criticism of the government, saying a coup would not have taken place if Thaksin's government had had good governance.

    Thaksin gave interviews with Japanese press, saying that the government installed by military junta failed to win international confidence. He also likened the junta leaders to bureaucrats, saying they do not have the mind-set to catch up with intensifying global competition.

    "With good governance and no conflict of interest, a government, no matter how it comes into power, should be able to build confidence in the long run," Surayud was quoted by the Bangkok Post's website as saying.

    Surayud added that he did not believe Thaksin's interviews would greatly discredit the government in foreigners' eyes because the interviews only showed a viewpoint of one person, the report said.