A candidate for chiral bands was found in (198)Tl for the first time in a mass region of oblate (or nonaxial with gamma >= 30 degrees) deformed nuclei. Two bands show very similar quasiparticle alignments, moments of inertia, and B(M1)/B(E2) ratios. They have a relative excitation energy of about 500 keV and different patterns of energy staggering. Calculations using the two-quasiparticle-plus-triaxial-rotor model with residual proton-neutron interaction included show that a triaxial deformation with gamma similar to 44 degrees agrees very well with all the experimental observations. Furthennore, considerable energy staggering for both partner bands was calculated for this pi h(9/2) circle times vi(13/2)(-1) configuration at gamma - 30 degrees, suggesting that chiral bands may have substantial energy staggering.
