MS SUU Kyi has been in detention or under house arrest for most of the time since the junta refused to recognise her party's landslide victory in Myanmar's last elections, in 1990.

Her trial is due to resume on Friday, alongside that of US national John Yettaw, and NLD spokesman Nyan Win said that he would see her later Thursday ahead of Ban's arrival in Myanmar.

'The authorities informed us that five central executive committee members of the NLD are to meet Mr Ban Ki Moon. We don't know details yet,' Nyan Win told AFP.

He said the five did not include Ms Suu Kyi, despite declaring earlier this week that any visit by Ban to Myanmar should include seeing the democracy icon.

Myanmar officials said Mr Ban would meet Mr Than Shwe in the remote administrative capital Naypyidaw on Friday, as well as with members of 10 political parties including the NLD, before flying back to Yangon on Saturday.

The visit is Mr Ban's first to Myanmar since he came to urge the junta to accept international aid in the wake of devastating Cyclone Nargis in May 2008, which killed around 138,000 people.

Mr Ban acknowledged this week that the latest trip was diplomatically risky as it coincides with the internationally condemned trial, but said that finding an appropriate time to come to Myanmar had been a challenge.

Critics have accused the junta of using the trial to keep Ms Suu Kyi locked up for elections that the ruling generals have promised in 2010.

Human Rights Watch said Mr Ban should not accept 'vague statements' from the regime about political reform ahead of the polls.

'There is a real danger that Burma's generals will try to use Mr Ban's visit to legitimise the 2010 elections,' said Roth, adding that the UN Security Council and regional blocs had so far 'failed the Burmese people'.

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been ruled by the military since 1962. -- AFP