The government has mobilised about 5,000 policemen to prevent any untoward incidents during the protesters' march from Sanam Luang to Government House and during the long stay they have planned outside its compound. Some 1,000 policemen were stationed at Government House alone.

Thaksin, speaking at an election campaign stop in Ubon Ratchathani province, warned members of the general public to keep away from Sanam Luang last night to avoid any possible incidents, saying he had learned that people were possibly plotting violence in an effort to trigger widespread turmoil.

Despite the emotionally charged nature of the anti-Thaksin rally, protest leaders called on the crowd to exercise maximum caution and tolerance to avoid possible violence.

"There will definitely be no violence. You must be most cautious about this. There will be no clash, no combat," one of the protest leaders, Chamlong Srimuang, addressed the protesters last night.

The People's Alliance for Demo-cracy (PAD) is set to lead a huge march from Sanam Luang to Gov-ernment House today to keep up the pressure against Thaksin, brushing off a possible chance for negotiations after he repeatedly refused to quit over his questionable legitimacy to continue to govern.

With strong momentum from the TV Pool replay of His Majesty the King's mediation of the May 1992 bloody political turbulence, which the PAD interpreted in its favour, some 100,000 people were expected to join the rally today, according to PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila.

The alliance will organise a mass protest in front of Government House with the sole demand to have Thaksin quit, he said.

"We will not go there to negotiate with him," he told reporters. Thaksin will not be at his office today but in Ubon Ratchathani and will hold a teleconference for a Cabinet meeting from the northeastern province.

Protesters will not block the gates of the Government House compound to enable Cabinet members to get in for the routine meeting, their leaders said.

As the political confrontation remained tense, many groups proposed that Thaksin and the PAD - together with opposition parities which boycotted the April 2 snap poll - sit together to find a solution.

Suriyasai said the PAD would consider "dialogue" with Thaksin only in a transparent manner and on live television, rather than a closed-door negotiation as the government proposed.

At Government House, Thammasat University's mock court will deliver a verdict on Thaksin in his "trial" on charges of corruption, abuse of power and human-rights violations. "The ruling from the mock court is the people's verdict on the political fate of Thaksin," Suriyasai said.

The rally will begin at about 7am today at Sanam Luang and proceed along Rajdamnoen Road. It is expected to arrive at Government House two hours later.

Thousands of police have been coordinated in advance not to block the rally, Suriyasai said.

The protesters will occupy Phitsanulok Road in front of the Prime Minister's Office and at least one lane of Rajdamnoen Road. Thaksin's supporters, if any, would be blocked only at the Royal Plaza, a few metres away. "We will stay there in peace until the end of Thaksin," Suriyasai said, noting that the PAD would employ non-violence in its struggle in accordance with national reconciliation, as HM the King advised.

The PAD has held a series of protests to oust Thaksin since last month. It led a huge rally to Government House on March 5 to put pressure on Thaksin but failed to deliver the knockout punch.

Thaksin has been under constant attack after selling his family's stake in Shin Corp to a Singaporean investment fund that made Bt73 billion for his clan with a tax exemption.

The middle class in Bangkok has joined the rally in increasing numbers but many might not be able to prolong the protest at Government House as the PAD wants.

Major protesters today will be members of Maj-General Chamlong Srimuang's Dharma Army, workers from state enterprises, farmers, teachers who oppose the government's plan to transfer them to local administrative bodies and students, Suriyasai said.

Vilaiwan Sae-tea, head of the Worker Solidarity Committee said labourers from Bangkok and its outskirts stayed overnight at the Sanam Luang and will also stage a protest rally against the government.

But workers could not commit to stay until Thaksin resigns as many of them could only take leave for a few days, she said.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee,

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation