Banharn had said Thaksin should return to solve the country's economic problems when he was on a break in April and May, Suriyasai said, adding Chat Thai was the last opposition party to join the boycott of the April 2 snap election.

"I doubt the unity of the three opposition parties [Democrat, Chat Thai and Mahachon]. People could doubt conspiracy. Banharn said if the three election commissioners resigned, the problems would be solved. Did he pretend to forget the political problems originated from Thaksin, not the election?" he said.

Banharn said yesterday the three election commissioners must resign so the political problems could be solved. When asked whether Thaksin should also leave [to solve the deadlock], Banharn said that was another story and should be discussed later.

"The standpoint of the Chat Thai Party is still unclear as to whether they want to be a mediator as well. Chat Thai could be an important player in the [political] game with Thai Rak Thai's conspiracy seen as one way out [to relieve public pressure]," he said.

However, Democrat executive Sathit Wongnongtoey said he did not think Banharn had any hidden agenda. Thaksin, he said, was gifted at using situations and what other people said to his benefit.

"To work and make joint decisions, the political parties have to trust and respect each other. And as long as the opinions and ideologies [of the parties] are the same, we can work together," he said.

Sathit said the three parties were independent from one another and needed to be responsible to the people.

They would meet and discuss the issues affecting all the parties, such as what Thaksin said in the letter to US President George W Bush, and why the three parties boycotted the April election, he said.

Mahachon Party deputy leader Akapol Sorasuchart said there were political parties other than Chat Thai, such as Mahachon, that could be an alternative. The party, he said, would join the talks if it would solve the political problems.

However, to prevent the talks from being labelled as a political conspiracy, representatives of groups in society, not just politicians, should join in with neutral people as mediators, he said.