Mr Sanoh's remarks came on the same day as Panlop Pinmanee, a close aide to Gen Sonthi, declared himself ready to run in the election under the Rak Chart party with an intention to lure the army leader into taking the top post.

At the election, former deputy prime minister Purachai Piemsombun is also likely to make a comeback to politics.

His aide, Noppadon Inna, said Mr Purachai was considering leading a new party with backing from some National Legislative Assembly members and former members of the Palang Dharma party. The decision would be made soon after he returned to Bangkok from New Zealand today and he would probably make a political comeback, according to Mr Noppadon.

Gen Panlop claimed that the party, which has not been registered with the Election Commission, would be launched once election day is announced.

Speculation about whether army chief Gen Sonthi will enter politics has intensified as he has never clearly rejected the rumour. Taking the leadership at Rak Chart is seen as one of his most likely choices.

But Mr Sanoh said the timing was not in favor of Gen Sonthi to run in the election, and he hoped that he would not do so.

The leader of the Pracharaj party praised Gen Sonthi for leading the coup on September 19 last year to end the political crisis which emerged after the strong opposition to then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The armed forces were the only option to end the previous government, which had taken over control of parliament, he said.

The opposition parties could not end the parliamentary dictatorship, according to Mr Sanoh.

The 74-year-old politician from Sa Kaeo said the mission would not be complete until the country returned to democracy, with political stability and unity. Another task was to ensure fairness and transparency in the election, he added.

''I don't think Gen Sonthi should enter politics now. As a person more senior than him, I would like to warn him again that now is not the time,'' he told a forum on democracy at Impact Muang Thong Thani.

After the coup, probes were conducted on whether Thai Rak Thai committed fraud in the election last year, which culminated in the Constitution Tribunal's decision in May to ban the party and its 111 executive members, including Mr Thaksin, from politics for five years.

Mr Sanoh, who was behind the success of Mr Thaksin's rise to power until both men fell out, said Gen Sonthi would be quickly branded a dictator by members of the former Thai Rak Thai party if he decided to lead a political party to run in the elections.

Gen Sonthi would face criticism that the coup was staged with the political motive of removing Mr Thaksin from power so the army chief could enter politics. He denied making the warning out of fear that the coup leader would become his political competitor.

The exact date of the election has not been set. But it will not be held beyond mid-January if the new charter is approved at the referendum on Aug 19. The most likely date is in mid-December.

Pracharaj has joined the Democrat and Chart Thai parties in backing the draft charter so the elections will be held sooner rather than later.

Gen Panlop, adviser to the chief of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), declared his intention to run as a candidate in Bangkok's Dusit constituency, the area where he once stood unsuccessfully for the Democrats. The Isoc chief is under Gen Sonthi. Gen Panlop claimed that soldiers will follow him to become members of Rak Chart and hailed Gen Sonthi as the right person to lead the country to overcome problems, due to his decisiveness.

He denied that Gen Sonthi's decision to enter politics was due to his fear that former Thai Rak Thai MPs would seek revenge once they returned to parliament.

branded described as something bad or unpleasant coup (d'etat) the seizure of power in a country by a group of people, usually members of the armed forces aide assistant; a person who helps another person, especially a politician, in their job lure to persuade (or trick) someone to do something post a job, especially an important one comeback (of a person in public life) starting to do something again after they had stopped doing it for a period of time backing support launched started speculation forming opinions about what has happened or what might happen without knowing all the facts intensified increased; strengthened rumor a piece of information that people talk about but which may not be true

crisis a time of great danger, difficulty or confusion emerged started to exist option choice parliamentary dictatorship a situation where a parliament is unfairly controlled by a single party ensure to make sure that something happens transparency having nothing hidden; open and easy for people to see the truth of what is happening forum a place where people can exchange opinions and ideas on a particular issue probe a thorough and careful investigation fraud the crime of cheating culminated ended with a particular result tribunal a type of court with the authority to deal with a particular problem or issue

ban to officially not allow something fell out (of two people or groups) had an argument and were no longer friendly because of it staged organized and took part in motive a reason for doing something referendum an occasion when all the people in a country can vote on something draft charter a written version of a constitution that may still be revized or which needs to be finally approved candidate - a person who is trying to win an elected position constituency an area of a country that elects a representative to parliament hailed praised decisiveness having the ability to decide something clearly and quickly revenge something you do in order to make someone suffer because they have made you suffer