In his weekly radio address, Thaksin said he would publicly announce the latest economic data compiled by the National Economic and Social Development Board, Finance Ministry and Bank of Thailand on Tuesday.

Amid growing pessimism over the country's economic outlook, the move is being made to highlight the government's achievements since it first came to power more than five years ago.

Dismissing the pessimists, he said the economy was still robust despite rising oil prices, violence in the South, bird flu, seasonal drought and the 2004 tsunami.

"The people should know the real economic situation," he said. "When I was elected to my first term, the country's debt was 57 per cent of GDP [gross domestic product]. Today's debt ratio has fallen to 41 per cent."

The number of unemployed has fallen from 1.19 million to about 500,000, he said. The number of people living below the poverty line has decreased from 12.8 million to 7 million.

Loans to small- and medium-sized businesses have risen from Bt80 billion to Bt100 billion.

In addition, Thaksin yesterday promised the government would convert more public buses into air-conditioned ones using natural gas as fuel.

He said the plan would be implemented in order to reduce the country's dependence on oil imports.

"The fuel conversion will take seven to eight months and Bangkok residents will begin to experience the difference in comfort from air-conditioned buses using NGV [natural gas for vehicles] soon," he said.

He added that the fuel conversion would help to peg bus fares as well as cut down on air pollution.

A first batch of 300 buses under concession from the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority has already joined the conversion scheme.

However, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority yesterday raised its fares for underground train services.

The new fares range from Bt15 to Bt39 (an increase from Bt14-Bt36), depending on the distance travelled.

Commuters said they hoped the government would quickly expand the rail routes after increasing the fares. In preparation for the upcoming polls, Thaksin is also due to visit three northeastern provinces tomorrow to hand out farm land-title deeds, plant seeds, and breeding livestock.

Vitoon Nambutr of the opposition Democrat Party said the premier would have to be careful at this juncture as the new election bill is about to come into effect.

Once the bill becomes law on August 24, all MP candidates will be barred from making specific promises in return for votes, he said.

Vitoon said Thaksin should strictly refrain from taking advantage of other political parties by making such promises, or else he could be penalised by the next Election Commission.