Anti-Thaksin demonstrators move from Sanam Luang to Democracy Monument last night to add pressure on Thaksin to resign.

In a move unprecedented in Thai politics, the three opposition parties yesterday announced a boycott of the April 2 election as Thai Rak Thai began gathering support from little-known political groups to bolster its campaign.

The leaders of the opposition parties - Abhisit Vejjajiva (Democrat), Banharn Silapa-archa (Chat Thai) and Sanan Kachornprasart (Mahachon) - called a press conference late in the afternoon to announce their decision.

With the opposition's latest move, the options for embattled Prime Minister Thaksin Shina-watra are now limited to going ahead with the election plan or resigning, something the anti-Thaksin coalition, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), is demanding. The PAD's mass rally at Sanam Luang continued into the second day yesterday.

Key opposition members said they would not take part in a meeting called by the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party at 6pm to discuss political reform. TRT later went ahead with the meeting at Parliament with more than 10 little-known political parties participating.

On learning of the opposition's decision, Thaksin commented: "I have performed my duty to the best of my abilities."

Thaksin, who arrived at the meeting with representatives from obscure parties amid tight security, said TRT was simply performing its duty in proceeding to contest the election. He rejected a call by the three main opposition parties for the four parties with elected MPs in the just-dissolved House of Representatives to draft a pact to allow for constitutional amendments to make way for another round of political reforms.

TRT suggested all political

parties taking part in the upcoming election draft their own "social contracts" stating their platforms and detailing their plans on constitutional changes and political reform.

"The social contract is greater than a pact as it is a commitment to the public that they have to keep," said Thaksin. "We agree to the opposition's call for party political leaders to meet. I invite them to meet me to discuss all matters in detail. All the parties that have registered are invited," he added.

Thaksin said the ruling party agreed with the opposition's proposal to have a "neutral body" draft constitutional amendments, but it also believed the public should be represented.

The opposition had given Thaksin an ultimatum to agree to amend the Constitution or face a boycott of the April 2 election. Thaksin countered by saying his party had come up with possible solutions after it had long been studying the strengths and weaknesses of the charter.

The three opposition leaders met for about half an hour at Parliament yesterday and called a press conference afterwards.

In a joint statement, the three opposition leaders said the only way out of the current political crisis was not a snap election but rather the amending of the Constitution by a group of respectable and neutral figures in order to ensure political reform.

"The election is not the answer to the country's problems. It is merely a tool for Thaksin Shinawatra to bring about his desired path, which could lead to great damage to the country," the statement said.

The opposition parties said they had ignored TRT's invitation for a meeting last night because they viewed it as "completely irrelevant to the desired goal". They also said there were signs the April 2 election "is unlikely to be free and fair" and that was why they decided not to take part in the election.

At Sanam Luang yesterday, leaders of the anti-Thaksin rally praised the opposition parties for going ahead with the boycott. On Sunday, the opposition was assailed during the rally for a possible pullback from its earlier threat to boycott the election.

"I think we must praise [the opposition parties'] decision to stand on the side of the people," PAD spokesman Suriyasai Katasila said. "The opposition parties are taking the mood and feelings of the people into consideration."

Sondhi Limthongkul, the media firebrand and key anti-Thaksin protagonist, thanked the opposition parties for sticking to their decision to boycott the election. He said the decision "shows they still understand the aspirations of the Thai people".

TRT's legal experts called a press conference yesterday at the party's headquarters to denounce the opposition parties' decision.

Vichit Plangsrisakul said the three opposition parties were refusing to play by the rules of democracy by failing to abide by the Constitution and the royal decree calling the snap election.

"The Thai Rak Thai Party is adhering to the Constitution by fielding candidates in the election. There has been no political dead end. What's going on is a political game," he said.

Phumtham Vejchayachai, a deputy TRT secretary-general, said the opposition parties were focusing too much on political benefits.