In July 2006 a straw poll was held among the UNSG candidates and Dr. Surakiat placed third, behind Ban Ki Moon from South Korea and Shashi Tharoor from India.
Most of the TRT executive leadership members were also abroad: Deputy Premier Surakiart Sathirathai was with Thaksin in New York, Finance Minister Thanong Bidaya was in Singapore attending the annual meeting of the World Bank/IMF, Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak was attending the Thai-France Cultural Exhibition in Paris with Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon and HRH Princess Sirindhorn.