Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra says he is weighing the pros and cons of

stepping down and making way for "a trusted friend" to succeed him.

"I have a friend who I think has been sincere with me over the past six years. I am thinking of [either] giving way for that person [to succeed me], or defying any pressure for me to step down," Thaksin said in a pre-recorded television interview broadcast yesterday.

He did not identify the person to whom he was referring.

"If it's better for me not to be prime minister, I may work for a foundation," he said.

Thaksin once said he would set up a foundation, using part of his family's proceeds from the sale of shares in Shin Corp.

He was speaking in a pre-recorded interview broadcast in Channel 5's "Sanam Pao Station" programme. It was the second part of a three-part interview that some critics view as a publicity campaign by the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party.

The caretaker prime mi-

nister is now on an overseas

trip taking him to Cuba and

the United States. He is scheduled to return to Thailand late next week.

Meanwhile, a senior Thai Rak Thai figure, Somchai Sunthornvut, said yesterday that many of his party colleagues have expressed concern about the possibility of Thaksin taking a break from politics.

He said even if Thaksin takes a break, he will remain as the party leader. He doesn't think anyone in the party will try to stop him stepping down.

"It's his right to make up

his mind about this," Somchai said.

Thai Rak Thai's election centre spokesman, Ekkaporn Rakkwamsuk, said party candidates will distribute copies of Thaksin's hand-written letters from overseas to eligible voters. The letters, addressed to Thai people and telling about his overseas trip, are a substitute for the prime minister's weekly radio address and "a means of heart-to-heart communication" with voters.

Thaksin cancelled his Saturday-morning radio programme shortly before the

election decree took effect last month.

In yesterday's pre-recorded interview, Thaksin also defended himself for wearing a black wristband, instead of a yellow one bearing the message "We love the King".

He said he wore his yellow wristband every day until it was torn.

He wore the black wristband for his health, because it was equipped with a device which was supposed to reduce the effect of electromagnetic waves on his body.

The caretaker prime minister also complained about several false rumours being spread by his political enemies that were damaging to his image.