Veera shies away from appearing on talk show with Abhisit

"Never mind, the programme will have to invite other people although I have sincerely hoped for Veera to join," he said.

Before hearing about the rejection, Abhisit said he was ready to answer questions posed by Veera, seen as a staunch supporter of the Thaksin camp and an ardent critic of the Democrat-led coalition.

He ruled out the speculation that he might allow the phone-in by ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra to the talk show.

"The programme format has not been designed for a phone-in," he said.

Pheu Thai Party MP Jatuporn Promphan said Veera and the red shirts deemed it inappropriate to share the television's limelight with Abhisit whom they see as lacking the legitimacy to govern.

The goals of the red shirts are to pressure for the House dissolution and overthrow the system of bureaucratic polity, Jaturporn said, pointing out to the opposition to what he says Abhisit is representing.

He said Veera would not meet in a face-off with Abhisit unless the latter agreed to abandon the double standard in regards to the charter rewrite. He did not elaborate on the issue.

He conceded that it would not seem right if Veera were to appear on the talk show along with Abhisit when the red shirts have launched a one-month campaign to pave way for a snap election.

He also questioned Abhisit's sincerity for fostering reconciliation because his spokesman and MP Thepthai Senpong has been very hostile toward the red shirts.