The Thai prime minister says his government may hold early elections in 2011 if the country's Red Shirt opposition movement does not stage more protests.
"We believe that six more months of continued stability... should be able to set the scene for a possible early election next year," he told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.
"But that very much depends, still, on how the opposition and the Red Shirts respond," AFP quoted Abhisit as saying on Friday.
He made the remarks as the Red Shirts opposition movement has put pressure on the government to hold snap elections.
The original plan was to hold general elections this November but the premier postponed the date after opposition held anti-government protests in April and May.
"If they would prove that they are interested in democratic movement, peaceful assembly and rejection of any illegal activity, then I think we should be on course to achieve a solution," the British-born prime minister said.
He also defended the government's crackdown on media, saying the authorities have closed those outlets which "incite violence."
