UN should help organise election in Burma

"The UN has experience in elections in many countries. In Cambodia the UN has done a good job; in East Timor the UN has had success," he said.

"If the UN gives a helping hand for the elections in Burma, I would appreciate it," Samak said at the foreign ministry yesterday.

The Burmese junta is on its seven-step road map to democracy and national reconciliation. The military-sponsored constitution passed a referendum in May as the country experienced the aftermath Cyclone Nargis.

Samak told ambassadors that as chair of Asean, Thailand would try to convince Burma to gear toward democracy.

However, he said he would put no pressure on the junta over opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest. Her National League for Democracy won the last elections in 1990 in a landslide, but was never allowed to assume power by the generals.

Samak will speak with his Burmese counterpart Thein Sein when he visits this country for the group summit in December.

Samak urged the international community to help push Burma towards democracy.

"I will do this without mentioning [Suu Kyi]," he said.