The rectors fear the crisis might turn violent and spread throughout the country, said Professor Pratya Wesarat of Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University.

The rectors would not try to present a way out of the impasse but would provide a forum for the three parties to iron out their differences, Pratya said.

Professor Emeritus Pornchai Matangkasombat of Mahidol University said rectors had contacted representatives from the government, opposition parties and the People's Alliance for Democracy on March 2 and they had agreed to meet in the near future.

Thaksin had earlier convened a meeting of rectors from across the country to seek their views on shortcomings in the Constitution and asked them to review articles that might need to be amended.

The move prompted criticism that Thaksin was using the rectors as a political tool.

Democrat spokesman Ongart Klampaiboon said the rectors had not asked his party to join the tripartite meeting.

The party would have to know in detail what the meeting's objectives were before it could commit to attending, he said.

Suriyasai Katasila, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, said the rectors had not approached the alliance.

Other rectors at the press conference included Professor Suchada Keeranant of Chulalongkorn University, Assoc Professor Preecha Jarungkitanand of the National Institute of Development Administration and Professor Wirun Tangcharoen of Srinakharinwirot University.

Meanwhile, National Police officers distributed 100,000 leaflets calling on the public to show support for a peaceful end to the conflict by turning their vehicles' headlights on while driving.

Jidakarn Limkhoonset

The Nation