Singapore has denied the accusation made last week by Thailand's army commander, Gen Sondhi Boonyaratkalin. He said military leaders feared Singapore was snooping on their conversations through a telecommunications company that deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra sold to the country last year.

Singapore's Foreign Ministry issued a statement Monday saying: "We do not know what Gen Sondhi's remarks meant." It added that "domestic calls within Thailand are not routed through Singapore."

Thailand's Foreign Ministry shot back Wednesday.

"I am puzzled by the statement from Singapore's Foreign Ministry that they do not understand the remarks of Gen Sondhi," said Kitti Wasinondh, the Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman. "It is not appropriate for Singapore to issue such a statement."

"If Singapore wants clarification of the remarks, Singapore can send its ambassador to Gen Sondhi," Kitti told Thailand's Business Radio station.

The exchanges of undiplomatic language started last week when Thailand's military-installed government expressed anger over Singapore's hospitality to Thaksin during a visit earlier this month.

Thaksin met with Singapore's deputy prime minister, prompting Thailand to suspend a visit by Singapore's foreign minister. Bangkok called the meeting inappropriate given Thaksin's ouster from the government, but Singapore shrugged it off as a private visit between old friends.

Ties between the two countries were already strained by the sale of Shin Corp, Thailand's largest telecommunications company, while Thaksin was still in office.

Thaksin's family sold its majority stake in the company to the Singapore government's investment arm, Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd, in January 2006. The deal sparked outrage in Thailand, with critics saying it placed strategic assets, including telecommunications satellites, in the hands of foreigners.

Sondhi last week said he was concerned the company was being used to spy on the military. He ordered members of the military leadership not to use mobile phones for confidential conversations susceptible to eavesdropping through the telecoms company.

"Our army has a problem now," Sondhi said last week. "When we make a call, the line goes to Singapore. When we talk secrets, they go straight to Singapore."

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