"It's necessary to hire professionals to do the job, and it should be done," he said.

Normal diplomatic channels are no match for the savvy PR firm which the junta-installed government is paying Bt1.9 million a month for three months to help burnish perceptions of the country and counter deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's own PR offensive.

"I think it's beneficial," Sonthi added.

Democratic Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva slammed the move as "a waste" of the national budget, as Thai diplomatic missions worldwide should be carrying out the task.

The government's priority now should be to prevent possible bloodshed as more and more people become disillusioned with the junta and its government, he said.

Even the junta-appointed chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC), Prasong Soonsiri, believes the government should concentrate on its real responsibilities and not get bogged down on promoting itself to the international community.

"The government must produce results," Prasong said, echoing Abhisit's view that Thai missions abroad should be doing the work.

"I don't want the administration to only think about PR," he said, while admitting that not enough rural citizens understand the benefits of the new draft charter and so the CDC will need the government's help to "do PR work" throughout the country.

Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general of the Campaign for Popular Democracy, said that although the PR job "is essential", it is not that urgent for the government.

It should have published a black book detailing to the world all of Thaksin's abuses, including human-rights violations, but it has so far failed to come up with anything, he said.

"I heard that the budget support wasn't there despite the fact that a war room is a crucial mechanism of the government," he added.

"The administration must convince [the world] Thaksin's order is the source of political evil, while the government and the CNS must send out a signal that Thailand will become more democratic."