Bush wishes PM an untroubled poll

Surayud gave assurances to the US president that the general election, tentatively scheduled for December 23, would be held in a fair and clean fashion, according to the Thai News Agency.

The two leaders were having a brief, casual luncheon discussion during the 15th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Sydney.

Surayud quoted Bush as saying that the US president had been kept informed about Thailand's political affairs and that he was aware the prime minister was committed to holding a general election this year.

During lunch, Surayud told the US president and other participating leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(Asean) that Thailand now had a new constitution and the general election would be held on December 23, according to the TNA. Surayud said all Asean partners had followed Thailand's political developments and understood that democratic rule was returning to this country.

Surayud also told the leaders that the European Union (EU) was welcome to observe the election, as was any country. The Election Commission is considering an EU proposal to send in a poll-monitoring mission.

After his meeting with the Apec leaders, Surayud went to Wat Buddharangsee Buddhist temple in Sydney, where he met about 300 members of the Thai expatriate community there.

The premier told the Thai expats that his government was leading the country out of the political crisis and back to democracy.

He said that despite obstacles he and his Cabinet were not disheartened in their attempts to solve the country's problems.

Surayud also said that Thai people should not worry about a possible return of "the old power clique", referring to political groups loyal to his deposed predecessor Thaksin Shinawatra. He noted that concern was rising after the national referendum on the draft constitution, in which as many as 10 million people voted against it, many of them Thaksin's supporters in the North and Northeast.

"We have to be firm that good will eventually defeat evil. Not too long from now our justice procedures will show a clear picture that there was a massive policy of corruption," the PM was quoted as saying by the TNA.