Then for the next eight minutes they watched a broadcast of a famous piece of TV footage from May 20, 1992 showing General Suchinda Kraprayoon and his nemesis Maj-General Chamlong Srimuang kneeling in front of His Majesty the King. Also present were late Privy Council president Professor Sanya Dharmasakti and General Prem Tinsulanonda, a council member at the time. The King called on both sides to reconcile in order to make sure no more bloodshed would follow.

On the tape, the King said this was not about resolutions or constitutions but about the safety and well-being of the people, who feared for their own lives and the country's future. Before the meeting, the respective supporters of Suchinda and Chamlong had been battling it out on the streets of Bangkok, plunging the country into one of its deepest political crises in what subsequently became known as Black May.

The next morning after the audience with His Majesty, Suchinda resigned. It was only three days after a clash between the military and pro-democracy protesters left scores of people dead at Rajdamnoen Avenue.

Pundits who saw the broadcast last night unanimously agreed it was an indirect rebuttal of Thaksin's daring comment made last month.

During his weekly radio address on February 4, Thaksin said he would step aside only if HM the King told him to do so.

"It will take only one person to remove me from office. That person is His Majesty the King. If he whispered to me, 'Thaksin, it's time to go,' I would certainly prostrate myself at his feet and resign," he said.

His remark drew strong criticism from prominent politicians who described it as inappropriate. They said the King was above politics and Thaksin should not say such things if he sincerely revered the King.

Since then, Thaksin has been trying to link himself with the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of His Majesty's accession to the throne. At his rally in Sanam Luang on March 3, the premier said one of the reasons why he had designated April 2 as the date for a snap election was that he did not want to place time constraints on commemorative events scheduled for June 9.

Thaksin has said time and again that he was responsible for overseeing the celebration because the government has invited 26 countries with monarchic institutions to take part. So far, six countries have given written confirmation of their intention to attend.

Yesterday's broadcast must be seen as a pre-emptive act to prevent confrontation on Tuesday between protestors coming from a coalition of civil society organisations and government forces at a planned rally outside Government House. Police are expecting hundreds of thousands to attend, and it is imperative that all avenues and means are exhausted to prevent a possible bloodshed.

Yet some of Thaksin's close aides, who asked not to be named, interpreted the broadcast's message differently.

They viewed it as an encouraging sign that it was time for all sides to initiate dialogue to prevent further confrontation and find a peaceful solution. They said the King's words urged reconciliation and peace.

Anti-government supporters disagreed. The People's Alliance for Democracy and representatives of intellectual and professional groups have started calling for Thaksin's immediate resignation.

Thaksin remains adamant he will stay on until the April 2 polls and has promised not to take up the premiership again if his party does not win at least half the votes.

Towards the end of the broadcast yesterday, the King urged Suchinda and Chamlong to use the good office of the Privy Council to find a way out.

Last Friday, a bomb exploded outside the home at Sisao Thewes of Prem Tinsulanonda, the council's current president. The attack heightened political tension.

Kavi Chongkittavorn

The Nation