Chaturon Chaisang - leader of what is now called the Thai Rak Thai Group - said yesterday the prime minister's secretary had agreed to accept the letter. He added this showed the government was still prepared to listen to the former ruling party.

Another group leader Pongthep Thepkanchana will lead the party's former members of Parliament to Government House this morning.

They will ask that orders 15 and 17 made by the then Council for Democratic Reform be repealed. It became the Council for National Security (CNS).

Group member Kuthep Saikrachang said the repeal would pave the way for the establishment of new political parties.

"Setting up a political party takes time. If the government resorts to the tactic of buying time, it will be accused of giving the Democrat, Mahachon and Chat Thai a competitive edge in the election by blocking others who have no parties to join," he said.

The group said the two orders were tantamount to only allowing the three former opposition parties to contest the next election. They must be revoked immediately, he said.

 "Otherwise we will accuse the government and the CNS of supporting political parties who are its allies. The next general election will be a one-horse race - no different from the April 2 election," he said.

Democrat Party deputy leader Alongkorn Pollabutr said Surayud should revoke all or part of the orders within two weeks.