BANGKOK - MYANMAR Prime Minister General Thein Sein arrived in Bangkok Tuesday on his first official visit to Thailand since he assumed the post in October, an air force officer said.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej will host a private dinner on Tuesday evening at his residence for Thein Sein and his entourage of seven ministers.

'First he was scheduled to dine at his hotel so I invited him to have dinner at my house and he agreed,' Mr Samak told reporters ahead of the general's arrival at a military airport.

The Thai prime minister declined to comment on Myanmar's upcoming referendum on a military-backed constitution but predicted there would be three political parties contesting elections in the next two years.

'I don't think I can comment otherwise I will be accused of being Myanmar's mouthpiece, but as far as I know, after the referendum is complete on May 10 and elections are held in the next two years there will be three parties to contest them,' he said.

'Myanmar's democracy is similar to Thai democracy in the past 30 years which began with a half-democratic constitution,' he added.

Mr Samak said Myanmar had turned down an offer of assistance from Thailand, which held its own referendum last August on a new constitution while the country was still under military rule following a September 2006 coup against prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

'Initially Thailand offered assistance but Myanmar said they are ready to conduct the referendum on their own,' he said.

Thailand, which is one of the biggest investors and trading partners in Myanmar, opposes the sanctions favoured by Western countries and says putting pressure on the junta to change is counterproductive. -- AFP