The programme is scheduled to begin at 8.30pm and last about one hour.

Thepchai Yong, who is also editor of the Nation Group, will interview the premier on matters expected to include the ongoing violence in the deep South, recent flooding and ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra's Asia-hopping.

Charter seminar

The Election Commission (EC) will hold a seminar on the referendum for the new constitution on Thursday morning, EC member Sodsri Satayatham said yesterday.

The seminar at the Prince Palace Hotel will share the experiences of experts to prepare for the referendum, Sodsri said.

She said it would also help to get people involved, including members of the Council for National Security, the Constitution Drafting Assembly and the National Legislative Assembly, so that they would better understand the referendum.

The Swiss ambassador to Thailand will also participate, she said.

Parties to meet

The leaders of three major political parties are due to meet today to discuss drafting the new constitution ahead of tomorrow's conference with the Election Commission.

Chat Thai Party deputy leader Nikorn Chamnong said leader Banharn Silapa-archa would lunch with his Democrat and Mahachon counterparts Abhisit Vejjajiva and Sanan Kachornprasart and discuss the new charter.

The commission last week said it would seek opinions from all 44 political parties.

Democrat spokesman Ong-art Klampaiboon said the meeting would be the first of its kind since the coup. He expected the talks to be broad and not confined to the constitution. "It is not politically significant," Ong-art said.