Abhisit said that although the Democrats had said they would be an ally of the new Pracharaj Party, they were not seeking a pact to form the next government.

"We have to see the number of MPs after the election and then we'll decide who we'll work with," he said.

The Democrat and Pracharaj parties have similar political stances in terms of opposing "Thaksinomics" and sharing a desire to reform politics.

Leaders of the three main opposition parties, Democrat, Chat Thai and Mahachon, met recently but have shown no commitment to continue their coalition before or after the election.

Asked if any parties will throw their support behind him to be the next prime minister, Abhisit was evasive, saying the public wanted to see competition, not collusion.

"I do not feel slighted, even though no party supports me as the PM. I am surprised why they have to announce their intentions now. They are still preparing their election campaigns," he said.

Abhisit yesterday visited a new agricultural school in Nong Chok district on the outskirts of Bangkok and joined villagers in ploughing a paddy field, tending a vegetable garden and feeding fish.

His party then held a seminar at which it pledged to put a "sufficiency economy" on the national agenda, establishing an economy that would award grants for public and private investment under the self-sufficient philosophy.

The party would also increase taxes on liquor and cigarettes because it wants the public to stop consuming them.

As a way of tackling debt problems, the Democrats would use research to find out the root causes of poverty. For example, if a household was deeply in debt because of a drinking problem, the government would offer assistance only if this habit was stopped.

The party will hold a seminar tomorrow at a Bangkok hotel to brainstorm policies to present to party leaders.

The Democrats believe that caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is anxious to hold the election on October 15 because he is due to be tried in a criminal case involving the IBC cable TV company on October 16. A legal defeat would sabotage his chances of winning the election.