"Two urgent problems are the political problems and the southern violence. Solving these requires unity and full cooperation from the public," retired army chief Surayud Chulanont told reporters shortly after taking office.

"I will put these two issues at the top of my agenda," he said. "I will make a great effort to solve these two problems within one year."

The military named Surayud as prime minister Sunday after ousting Thaksin Shinawatra in a bloodless coup on September 19.

The coup came after months of political turmoil surrounding Thaksin's government, sparked by claims of endemic corruption.

Among the complaints against Thaksin were that his heavy-handed tactics exacerbated unrest in Muslim-majority provinces of southern Thailand.

Nearly 1,500 people have been killed since the unrest erupted in January 2004. The violence has been blamed variously on ethnic Malay separatism, religious extremism, local police corruption and smuggling rings.

Meanwhile, Thailand's junta leader said yesterday that the military has released four top aides to deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who had been held since the September 19 coup.

"They have already been freed this morning," coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin told reporters when asked about the fate of the four senior politicians.

"It is the police's responsibility to take care of them," he added.

The three were released the day after the junta strengthened a panel investigating graft allegations against Thaksin and members of his government.

Thaksin's deputy Chidchai Vanasathidya and Prommin Lertsuridej, the secretary to the premier, were detained one day after the coup and were held at a military guesthouse on the northern outskirts of Bangkok.