"I don't know how the newspapers obtained the copies of Thaksin's letter and Bush's reply, but I can say both are genuine," Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said yesterday.

Surapong said Thaksin's letter showed that the prime minister wanted to report on the political events taking place since the beginning of the year and express confidence that a new election would be held successfully.

Bush's reply affirmed his optimism about democratic rule in Thailand, Surapong said.

Thaksin wrote to Bush because he did not have a chance to meet him during a private visit to the United States in April, he said.

Thaksin conveyed similar messages in person to other leaders, including the Japanese prime minister, during two rounds of so-called "coffee diplomacy", Surapong added.

Thaksin visited London, Paris, Moscow, Beijing and Tokyo during a leave of absence he described as a "political break" four months ago.

Surapong said the government was not worried that its opponents, including the People's Alliance for Democracy, might lodge rebuttals to Thaksin's letter with foreign embassies.

In a telephone interview from Washington DC, caretaker Foreign Minister Kantathi Supamongkhon said Thaksin had not breached any diplomatic protocol in sending a letter to Bush, with whom he had close ties. Thaksin was merely explaining confusing political events, Kantathi said.