Supporters of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from the North and the Northeast who call themselves ‘The Caravan of the Poor’ gather at Wang Noi district of Ayutthaya yesterday shouting, ‘Thaksin fight on!’

About 10,000 participants are expected to join the rally.

The police have prepared barricades around the location to prevent traffic problems. Municipal officials will help oversee the crowd.

Colonel Pisal Kotchasap from Bang Sue police station said more than 60 policemen would be stationed at the park. Traffic police would also watch the area around Chatuchak and create a parking lot opposite Mor Chit bus station in preparation for the demonstration, he said.

"Our plan [to create the parking lot] should help avoid traffic jams," he said.

Municipality Chief Suwit Saengsaneh said he expected the number of pro-Thaksin supporters to reach about 10,000, adding that mobile toilets and other facilities had been prepared.

Pol Lt-Colonel Boonlert Sitthivichai, 65, a Thaksin supporter said he would join the rally because he believed in Thaksin and thought he was doing his job well. "I'm participating because I don't want to see a mob overrule the law. I want the election to take place on April 2," he said.

Meanwhile, caravan leader Khamta Kaenboonjan dismissed reports that the pro-government "Caravan of the Poor" had already arrived Bangkok.

"We stayed overnight in Ayutthaya's Wang Noi district. Our plan has not changed, the caravan will arrive in Pathum Thani province today and we will stay overnight there," he said.

He added that he would discuss the plans with other members of the caravan, saying that the caravan might be met by Thaksin in Pathum Thani instead of at Government House.

"We don't want to face the PAD rally, so if they are still assembling outside the House we may invite the premier to travel to Pathum Thani," he said.

Kwanhatai Malakarn,

Sucheera Pinijparakarn

The Nation