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Published on October 5, 2007

After a two-hour meeting with Prime Minister and Interior Minister Surayud Chulanont, EC chairman Apichat Sukhaggananda said the government and the EC firmly believed they could organise the poll on December 23 - as originally planned.

"If everyone wants to see the end of the country's crisis and wants democracy, you need to help us," Surayud said when asked if he was confident the election would be held on that day.

He said the government would after October 16 propose an election decree seeking royal endorsement of the preferred date.

The government will also approve Bt700 million for the EC to manage the general election.

Surayud said that as interior minister he could support the EC in arranging the election, and it was not necessary to set up a joint committee between the government and the EC for this purpose.

The premier insisted he would not take any position in the next Cabinet, but could not guarantee what other ministers would do.

"This government won't retain power," he said.

Apichat said the EC had asked Surayud to announce a national agenda to do away with the scourge of vote-buying.

Meanwhile, National Legislative Assembly chairman Meechai Ruchupan yesterday said the motion to grill Surayud and his Cabinet on ethical problems would be tabled to the NLA for deliberation next week.

Meechai made the announcement after NLA member Prasong Soonsiri's claim there had been attempts to sabotage the move.

He said if the NLA wants ministers to answer questions in the House, he would have to coordinate with the government.

Prasong denied that the NLA members who launched the motion were aiming to topple the government or change the prime minister.

"We just want to question them on ethical issues. We are not going to set double standards. We have been checking on the ethics of the previous government, so why can't we check on this government. It is not right to take hundreds of thousands of baht in salary and do nothing,'' he said.

At least 15 NLA members have been listed to take the floor over the ethical problems of several ministers in the current Cabinet.

The Northeast Liberation Front, led by Thaweesak Chantasri, yesterday lodged a complaint against Surayud over the allegation that he had encroached on reserve forest in Khao Yai Thiang in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party executive Banyat Bantadtan posted an article on the party's website saying that if the motion is tabled to the NLA, Surayud will be in the hot seat.

Banyat said he felt Surayud had lost his cool and could not control his feelings.

"If Surayud adjusts his attitude so that the problems are [considered] under the democratic mechanism, which can be solved by the democratic mechanism, then he will not lose his balance,'' he added.

Atthayuth Butrsripoom

The Nation