Thailand's Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party said on Friday that it would accept the challenge to participate in a public debate if only demonstrators agree to end their protest against caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and promise they will recognize the results of the polls on April 2, said a party coordinator.

It is the first time that the TRT gives a positive response to the public debate proposal which was asked by the opponents. TRT spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said protesters should allow voters to decide for themselves who they want to become their next leader.

He said that Thaksin would not become the next prime minister if TRT won less votes than the small parties and abstaining votes combined.

Earlier, the People's Network for Elections (P-Net) proposed that all parties involved in the current political crisis, including anti-government protestors, participate in a televised debate.

Surapong said the TRT had not decided on who would be its panelists and on what topics they would debate.

It was necessary to choose the right ministers for the debate because the criticism against the government has not only focused on the leadership but a wide scope of issues including free trade talks, the privatization of state enterprises, military weapons procurement, and government policies, said Surapong.

(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2006)