Vejjajiva looks on during an opposition leaders’ lunch yesterday.

The Democrat, Mahachon and Chat Thai parties had a working lunch yesterday for the first time since His Majesty the King endorsed the election Royal Decree.

Chat Thai leader Banharn Silapa-archa and Mahachon leader General Sanan Kachorn-prasart both declined to say whether they would throw their support behind the Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as the next premier.

"If Abhisit wins a majority

of seats he can be the

premier. That's the democratic principle," Banharn said after the lunch.

"Let's see the result of the upcoming poll and then we can decide who can be the next premier," Sanan said.

When asked if the three parties would still work together after the poll, Banharn said: "I can't answer you right now. Let's talk about it after we know the result of the poll."

Observers are certain that if caretaker Prime Minister Thak-sin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai Party narrowly wins the election and needs support to form the next government, Banharn would go with the coalition of Thaksin than with Abhisit.

Banharn had dinner with Thaksin on Thursday. Thaksin reportedly asked Banharn to help him to coordinate with the other two opposition parties to bring about reconciliation in the country.

Banharn was also reluctant to answer a question on whether the three parties would continue their anti-Thaksin campaign, saying only that his party had not yet finished drafting its policies for the election campaign.

But Abhisit said the Demo-crats would still fight against the "Thaksin regime", as his party has to correct political mistakes and actions that run counter to the will of the Constitution.

They also agreed that they would have their own campaigns in the next poll.

Banharn said the three parties talked about their respective campaigns and indicated they would not continue their previous policy of not fielding candidates against the other two parties in overlapping constituencies.

Abhisit said they all agreed with a new round of political reforms after the poll. He said it was not necessary for them to sign a pact to go ahead with the reforms.

Sanan said the government formed after October 15 should be temporary and tasked only with overseeing political reforms.

"After the reforms a new election must be held quickly for a new [permanent] government," Sanan said.