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Here are excerpts from the exclusive hour-long interview aired on Channel 9 last night.

SUTHICHAI: When you took up your position, former Premier Anand Panyarachun said it was a "blessing" for the Samak government. Do you have any regrets now?

TEJ: I don't know whether it's a blessing for the government - and I am not sure whether it's a blessing for myself.

SUTHICHAI: Did it ever occur to you that you would one day become foreign minister?

TEJ: Never. I had always considered myself a civil servant.

Having been foreign affairs permanent secretary was already the highest point in my career. And that was the highest pride in my life. Now that I have returned to the ministry as foreign minister, I consider that a bonus.

SUTHICHAI: Was it a difficult decision to make?

TEJ: It had nothing to do with making a decision because Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej sought His Majesty the King's permission [for me] to take up this post. As a civil servant, I could not say no. It's a duty.

SUTHICHAI: What do you consider to be the "blessing" for this government when you became foreign minister?

TEJ: As soon was I was sworn in as foreign minister, I immediately began negotiations with Cambodia. Luckily, I knew Cambodia's foreign minister. And I was reasonably familiar with this issue.

SUTHICHAI: Before you took over this portfolio, there was suspicion that politicians related to former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra had put pressure on the foreign minister's officials. Some of them were transferred. Others faced political pressure. When you came in, did you talk to them about what had happened?

TEJ: When that happened, I wasn't in this position just yet. And since I came back to this ministry, I haven't had time to discuss this with the officials here. But one of the first things I did when I became foreign minister was to reshuffle the officials so that those who had been moved out could return to their old positions. That's aimed at boosting the morale of the officials here.

SUTHICHAI: Is there any pressure now for the ministry to do things you are not supposed to do?

TEJ: None so far.

SUTHICHAI: So far, have officials of the Foreign Ministry been able to resist undue political pressure?

TEJ: I myself have not faced any pressure of that sort. And I have been able to do the right thing at the right time - and got it done - such as my work in establishing diplomatic relations with China in the past.

SUTHICHAI: I am talking about today. When there is undue political pressure, how do the officials here stand up to it?

TEJ: We shouldn't waver under pressure - if we believe that what we do is right.

SUTHICHAI: What's the way out if you really come under such undesirable pressure?

TEJ: Very simple. If I come under pressure to carry out tasks that I consider improper and not conducive to national interests, it's a simple decision for me. I would have to call it quits.

SUTHICHAI: Did you come under any pressure over the issue of whether to cancel Thaksin Shinawatra's diplomatic passport?

TEJ: I don't see any political pressure on me over that issue.

SUTHICHAI: But what has happened to that issue now?

TEJ: The prime minister says he has received my report and that I have no need to comment on that again.

SUTHICHAI: What exactly was your proposal to the prime minister?

TEJ: As soon as the court issued an arrest warrant, our Consulate Department drew up a report on the rules, regulations and constitutional provisions involved. In the end, we came to the conclusion that the Foreign Ministry should submit this matter to the prime minister to consider as head of government. That's because it's a political decision and it's an important issue. I agreed with the officials' proposal. Therefore, I signed the document and submitted it to the prime minister to make up his mind on this issue.

SUTHICHAI: With domestic politics being what it is, is it more difficult to carry out our foreign affairs mission?

TEJ: Certainly. I still don't know how many more days I will be in the foreign minister's position. But at the same time, I have to make plans such as the upcoming UN General Assembly, which will begin in 20 days or so. Foreign ministers from around the world will be there. Whether I will go or not isn't sure yet. But plans have to be made, such a booking hotel rooms etc…

SUTHICHAI: As soon as you took over as foreign minister, you issued a strong statement defending the independence of the country's judicial system. That was a direct rebut against Thaksin's earlier statement alleging that the justice system has been tampered with.

TEJ: It's our duty at the foreign minister to issue clarifications if there are any reports in the foreign press that affect the country's image. So, when there were reports outside quoting the former foreign minister alleging that there had been interference in the country's judicial system, the foreign ministry certainly had to issue a statement defending the judicial system.

SUTHICHAI: That statement from you as foreign minister was obviously a rebuttal against Thaksin, a former prime minister of the country. That's quite rare.

TEJ: Perhaps, that was a coincidence that we had to rebut the former prime minister. But for me, no matter where and when - and that's the case since I was a junior official attached to the Information Department - whatever affects the country's image, it's the duty of the Foreign Ministry to issue immediate clarifications.

SUTHICHAI: …The ministry even had to defend the September 19 coup.

TEJ: I wasn't here then.

SUTHICHAI: And when the People's Alliance for Democracy took over the compound of the Prime Minister's Office, the statement from the Foreign Ministry to the outside world was that this was part of the democratic system. That didn't quite fit Prime Minister Samak's position on the issue.

TEJ: For me, this was a phenomenon in Thailand's political history. We don't know what will happen next. But it's another chapter in Thailand's democratic development. Certainly, the country's image has been affected. The country's economy also suffers. At Phuket, for example, the closure of the airport there has cost the country about Bt250 million daily.

SUTHICHAI: How are you personally affected by the domestic political uncertainty?

TEJ: It's clearly made my job more difficult. For example, I am to visit Vietnam to meet my counterpart there on September 10. I haven't met him before. But I don't know whether I can go. But don't forget, the foreign minister needn't be me. That's because the foreign minister looks after the country's interests in the context of external affairs. If it's not me, then it could be somebody else.

SUTHICHAI: Are you satisfied with the progress in your talks with your Cambodian counterpart over the Khao Phra Viharn [Preah Vihear] controversy?

TEJ: Yes. Both sides have agreed to re-deploy their troops to reduce the tension of a confrontation. And agreement has been reached in principle to speed up the work of border demarcation in that area. Our relations with Cambodia should return to normal very soon.

SUTHICHAI: How do you respond to critics to say that we have lost our territorial sovereignty over the disputed area with Cambodia?

TEJ: I don't see that we have lost our territorial sovereignty in that area at all.