"It depends on the atmosphere everyone creates to move towards democracy. It does not depend on the government," he told reporters.

A few hours after Surayud's comment the Public Relations Department (PRD) shut down another Bangkok community radio station that aired a live telephone interview with ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Wednesday night.

In Chiang Mai's Muang District, meanwhile, three top members of the anti-junta White Dove 2006 group were detained while setting up a stage for a rally. Soldiers seized documents and CDs from the group that were allegedly intended to provoke political conflict.

Surayud, who is due to meet local leaders in Chiang Mai today, also played down Defence Minister General Boonrawd Somtas's comment yesterday that the country could see a repeat of the September 19 coup if political confrontation continued as at present.

"I am optimistic. The country does not belong to any particular group but to 65 million people. Most people want to the country to be peaceful. If we hold hands and walk forward together, we will be successful," he said.

Surayud conceded that the economy had slowed down under his administration but reasoned that there were many contributing factors, such as the weakening of the US dollar against Asian currencies.

He said he trusted the governor of the Bank of Thailand to maintain the stability of the baht, but all Thais would have to move together towards a general election to boost investor confidence in the country's political sector. "My duty is to bring the country out of crisis and solve problems through non-violence," he added.

Boonrawd earlier told reporters that political trouble would intensify at the end of the month, when the Constitution Tribunal delivers verdicts that could lead to the dissolution of the country's two major political parties. However, he said the government and the CNS had a plan to handle the situation.

He said was aware there had been attempts to create conflict between Surayud and Council for National Security (CNS) chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, but he was confident that both men would stand firm.

Boonrawd said deposed prime minister Thaksin was making political moves out of a survival instinct because he, his family and his party were in trouble.

"Everything depends on the public. If they use their conscience as to what is right and wrong, the future for our democracy is near. If we try to defeat each other now, the country will move back to a September 19 situation," he said.