The denial followed press reports that a draft decree seeking to set the general election for October 15 had been returned and that the government would submit a new one.

The insistence that the decree had not been rejected also seemed to be at odds with a remark made by caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra during his weekly radio address on Saturday. Thaksin said the government would submit another decree for royal endorsement after August 15 to ensure a new election takes place on October 15, as tentatively scheduled by his administration.

The caretaker Cabinet secretary-general, Rongphol Charoenphanthu, yesterday said the draft decree submitted to the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary had not yet been returned.

Government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee yesterday said the government submitted the draft during the tenure of Rongphol's predecessor, Borwornsak Uwanno. He said the government would not submit another draft as the old one had not been returned.

"The press reports are untrue. It's the same draft that the government sent. There have been no changes so far," Rongphol said on his first day in his new post.

The Cabinet appointed Rongphol earlier this month to replace Borwornsak, who left the caretaker government amid growing political pressure. Rongphol's controversial appointment was endorsed last week by the Election Commission, as required under the Constitution.