Prommin Lertsuridej, the PM’s secretary-general, told a radio programme that Thaksin was offering the MPs an opportunity to make it known if they wanted to defect.

“It’s time they make it clear what they are going to do, and they shouldn’t violate the rules,” he said.

Thaksin made the warning during a gathering of MPs at the party’s headquarters on Tuesday. “If a small number of us fail to toe the line, I’m sure the administration will be able to go ahead with no problems. But if a lot of us fail to [support the government], I will have to dissolve the House,” he said.

However, Thaksin’s sister MP Yaowapa Wongsawat, a deputy party leader and adviser to the premier, denied that Thaksin had threatened to dissolve the Lower House, saying he had merely tried to explain the situation to the MPs.

Pimuk Simaroj, a Thai Rak Thai deputy spokesman said the premier had no intention of dissolving the House as he had announced before that he had a mandate from voters to serve four full years.

Meanwhile, Snoh Thienthong, leader of the Thai Rak Thai’s dissident Wang Nam Yen faction, shrugged off Thaksin’s threat.

“Let him dissolve it. He has the power to do it. I wonder if we will die if we are no longer MPs.”

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Thaksin had contradicted himself because he had previously said that he definitely would not dissolve the House.