It is too soon to say no about coalition government : Samak

"The campaigning hasn't even started and Abhisit should not be so sure about the vote," he said.

Samak was responding to Abhisit's remarks on Wednesday that the Democrats would never form an alliance with Samak because his party was seen as a new home for remnants of the ousted government.

"Abhisit always wants to pick a fight but my party will not aim at engaging in a conflict," he said.

He said he accepted his party leadership because he wanted to help out former Thai Rak Thai MPs who were not convicted in the electoral fraud case.

He dismissed speculation about his party receiving funds from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, saying his role was limited to looking after some 270 former MPs.

"The main reason I returned to politics is to salvage the country's reputation and uphold the monarchy," he said in reference to the September 19 coup.

He said he could not remain on the sidelines after foreign critics tried to link the monarchy with the coup.

Commenting on an allegation that he was Thaksin's political nominee, he said he saw no negative meaning in the term, and does not imply any legal offences in civil, criminal or electoral laws.

"If my critics want to block my political career, they should push for just one provision to ban Samak," he said.

Samak also said his party had no objection to the scheduling of the balloting date for December 23.

"Normally the vote has to be scheduled 55 days in advance and this time every party has been informed 120 days before the elections," he said.

Opponents of the December 23 date might have an ulterior motive as if they wanted to allow time for "someone" to join the race as a latecomer, he said.

Every party wants the elections to take place as soon as possible and critics should take heart that His Majesty the King made a royal decision to move forward the promulgation of the 2007 Constitution from August 27 to August 24, he said.