Australia's Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Thursday said that the government would remain impartial in the wake of the continuing violence in Thailand between the sitting Abhisit government and the Reds protesters.

Speaking in Tokyo, Smith said Australia is concerned with the on-going violence in Thailand, but its priority is to see the end of one of the worst political crisis to hit Bangkok, a key U.S. ally and the second strongest economy in Southeast Asia. Violence in Bangkok has spread in nearby cities and provinces and has killed 70 people and injured 1300 others in the past six weeks.

The Red shirt protesters were calling for the abolition of the Abhisit government which they described was illegal.

Smith said Australia does not want a repeat of the September 2006 coup where the Thai army toppled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and seized power.

"As I've made clear, what we don't want to be dealing with into the future is a government of Thailand that is militarily-led, which is why we don't choose sides in terms of internal or domestic Thai political circumstances," Mr Smith said.

Smith added that Australia has no business to tell Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call for a national election to resolve the crisis, saying it is an internal matter for the Thais.

Smith's comment was in contrast with the statement of former Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer who called on Abhisit to call a fresh election "to lance the boil." He said the Abhisit government is afraid to call for a fresh poll because he knew he would lose.

However, Downer acknowledged that no government can pressure any sovereign country, but said he would be working behind the scenes for a fresh election.