About 5,000 tribal people from Chiang Rai’s Chiang Saen and Mae Sai districts gather at Mae Sai immigration checkpoint with Burma to show support for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

 Convoys from several corners of the country headed for Bangkok yesterday as embattled Prime Minister Thak-sin Shinawatra prepared to stage what promises to be his biggest show of force today.

The rally, which the Thai Rak Thai Party expects will draw at least 300,000 participants, would formally launch the party's election campaign, one day after registration of constituent candidacies began yesterday.

Supporters of Thaksin and his party gathered in several provinces of the North and Northeast over the last few days and began their journey to the capital. Many have mailed postcards to Government House in response to an appeal by the premier.

Thousands of pro-Thaksin residents joined a march in Chiang Rai.

A source said some governors had instructed community leaders to ensure that there would be government supporters from their areas gathering at Sanam Luang today.

Suriyasai Katasila, coordinator of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), said he had learned that state resources

had been used in the mobilisation of more than 200,000 people

for today's pro-Thaksin rally.

Village heads and kamnan were told to send as many people as possible to the ground, he said.

The PAD's anti-Thaksin rally for Sunday would go on as planned, he said.

Postcard sales surged as Thaksin's supporters answered his plea to send them in as an expression of their desire for peace. Some Thai Rak Thai MPs bought postcards in bulk to be distributed to their constituents, another source said.

Leaflets were distributed around Victory Monument urging people to take part in today's pro-government rally to hear what the premier would have to say.

The flier, signed by a group calling itself the Network of Patriotic Thais, said members of the public should turn up at Sanam Luang "to show their force for the peace of the land". The gathering was "very vital" to the country's future, it said.

Former Thai Rak Thai MPs from northern provinces were busy preparing for another big pro-Thaksin rally to be held tomorrow in Chiang Mai, said Pakorn Buranapakorn, a former MP for the northern city.

He expected at least 200,000 party members and supporters to assemble at the 700th Anniversary Stadium to show their sympathy for the beleaguered prime minister.

Thanawat Yotjai, a Thaksin supporter, said his group would wait for the Chiang Mai rally tomorrow instead of going to Sanam Luang today to avoid worsening traffic in Bangkok.

Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya expressed confidence that there would be fewer anti-government protesters after Thaksin "bares his heart" today.

PAD has demanded that Thaksin resign, saying that is the only way to keep the crisis facing the country from getting worse.

Chidchai said police had full control of the situation at Sanam Luang and were sure that no ill-intentioned "third party" would dare stir up trouble today and Sunday.

Instead of using today's rally to attack his opponents, Thaksin will politely address his supporters to bring across three points, a party source said.

He will say that he will ensure the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne goes off in style.

He will welcome political reform by amending the Constitution and dissolving the House again in six months following the April 2 general election. And he will point out that the economy now is in good shape so the country has to move on.

Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said the government would not deploy military troops or use force against anti-government demonstrators on Sunday.

"We've strictly instructed police to compromise no matter the pressure on them. There will be no military officers or barbed wire. We have learned our lesson that such action causes loss of life,'' he said.

Government supporters can show their feelings about the anti-government movement through peaceful means such as going for a work stoppage, turning on headlamps, or waving signs, he said.

Agriculture Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan denied talk that Prime Minister Thaksin would use the stage in Sanam Luang to kick off the party's election campaign, saying that Thaksin only wants to come clean after coming under attack for three months.

"We wanted to open the House for the opposition to question the PM, but they didn't want to come so we had to organise the event for that purpose,'' she said.

The party will disclose its election policies next week, she said.

A party source said the new government would stay in power only six months before disbanding as it wants to organise the celebrations for His Majesty' reign and amend the Constitution.

Surapong denied allegations that the government is organising the rally to force a stand-off between government opponents and supporters.

Industry Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit said the government will use constructive speech and peaceful methods on stage and that should not lead to a confrontation.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and other key party figures will address Songkhla residents about its decision to boycott the election this afternoon near Samila Cape, former party MP Praporn Ek-uru said.