During his first TV interview after addressing the National Legislative Assembly on the government's policy platforms, he said he felt so much pressure concerning national and international affairs.

Surayud had less time for his family as he had to get up and left home early, even before his wife woke up, he said.

"These days, I sleep around four hours a day. It's hard for me as I am an old guy," he said.

Surayud appeared on television at the time when the government and the coup leaders desperately needed to boost trust and popularity among the public, as the anti-coup sentiment is growing in a number of provinces in the North and Northeast - the stronghold of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai Party.

Contradicted to his warm welcome to the coup leaders' invitation asking him to fill the PM vacant seat, Surayud insisted that he had never appreciated the military coup. However, the whole country had to accept that it did happen, he said.

"We'd better come along and find the best way to prevent such the incident in the future," he said.

Surayud added that he was willing to talk with those who were against his government "anywhere and anytime".