The government says an election is the answer, while its opponents maintain that caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the Election Commission - seen by many as being in the pocket of the ruling party - must step down first.

PM's secretary-general Prommin Lertsuridej said yesterday that the government did not believe there was only one way out of the deadlock.

"We are waiting for the election," Prommin said.

Election Commissioner Prinya Nakchudtree has said he will attend a seminar on political reconciliation organised by the National Economic and Social Advisory Council, but he declined to say whether he would step down.

Prinya did say, however, that he would not serve a full term.

When asked why the commission declined to step aside in order to foster reconciliation, Prinya said: "What has it had done wrong? The commissioners are willing to accept criticism for anything the EC has done wrong."

When told that the public wants the commissioners to step down because the government's opponents will not work with the EC, Prinya replied: "How many people want the EC to step down?"

Meanwhile, Chat Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa said he had had a phone conversation with Thaksin on Wednesday. The two would have a face-to-face meeting after Banharn returns from the US on Thursday, he said.

Earlier this week Banharn said he did not want to play peacemaker because it was too late for him to mediate.

However, he changed his mind, he said, after a party meeting in which it was decided that as an opposition party Chat Thai should try to restore peace for the sake of the country.

Responding to criticism that his talk with Thaksin was merely a show to create an image of reconciliation, he said that if there was no substance to the talks, he would not cooperate with Thaksin.

"I do not want to be hurt for nothing. After I said I would talk to Thaksin, I received many phone calls criticising me," he said.

"The media also reported that I and Thaksin are negotiating for our mutual interests. I believe they do not understand and do not have vision. When the country is in a crisis like this, do we have to bring a gun out to shoot the other side to death? Is that correct? And do we want that?''

Banharn also dismissed speculation Thaksin would transfer Army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, saying Thaksin had already denied the report. And if he transferred Sonthi at a later date it would merely show the PM lacked long-term vision.