Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont yesterday promised to allow sufficient time for campaigning ahead of a general election in December, hinting that the current ban on party activities could be lifted as early as September.

"It is the consensus [of the government and the junta] that political parties should have time for electoral preparations and campaigning," he said.

Surayud spoke to reporters to clarify pertinent issues in the wake of his decision not to declare a state of emergency but to tentatively set the election for either December 16 or 23.

Surayud and CNS chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin had a meeting on Thursday to review the CNS' recommendation for emergency rule to pre-empt violence that might have been triggered by anti-coup protests.

"Thursday's discussion was not just about a state of emergency but also about how to prevent violence," Surayud said.

He said the government and the CNS had reached the same conclusion after assessing the situation, dismissing concern about a possible rift between them over the non-enforcement of emergency rule.

He said authorities would remain vigilant to prevent any outbreak of violence. Surayud expressed the hope that the clear timetable for the election would help to dissipate tensions.

Since the draft constitution should be ready for a referendum in September, political parties might be allowed to resume their activities around the same time, he said.

He called on concerned parties to get involved in the drafting process and critique the draft so that the new constitution was practical and acceptable to all.

"The drafting process is wide open, so everyone should pitch in with their critique so as to make a new constitution that is ours," he said.

Politicians yesterday praised the prime minister for dispelling political confusion with the tentative December date for the election.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was relieved and that the clear schedule would ease political tension.

Somsak Prissanananthakul, deputy leader of the Chat Thai Party, said a democratic election was the only way to end political confusion and avert crisis.

Thammasat University rector Surapon Nitikraipot said the scheduling of a balloting day had cleared lingering doubts about the military trying to cling to power.

"The next step is to quickly lift the ban on party activities, because it is impossible to have the vote without campaigning," he said.

Surapon said the government could help to ensure the timetable for charter drafting and the referendum was met by working closely with the charter-writers and lawmakers.

The Thammasat rector opposed the idea of assigning a greater role to the judiciary in resolving political crises, warning that the integrity of the courts might be compromised in the long run by their being involved in politics.

He was referring to a proposal that judicial leaders be allowed to step in and name a new prime minister should the government leadership reach a deadlock.