Pimporn, left, one of the vendors at Trinity Complex in the Silom area who verbally assailed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Monday, holds flowers given to her by supporters.

But the business owned by Varaporn (she will not release her family name) was closed.

Varaporn and two other shopkeepers made the front page of almost every newspaper in the Kingdom yesterday, after they let fly with a verbal assault on the caretaker PM as he visited a shopping mall near the headquarters of the Bangkok Bank on Silom road.

Among the letters of support were a couple that read: "Salute to a brave person, from a Lerdsin hospital doctor" and "We are supporting you, from a friend in Nakhon Pathom".

Supporters also gave flowers to Pimporn, another shopkeeper who assailed Thaksin.

Former foreign minister Prasong Soonsiri and Democrat MP Kiat Sittheeamorn visited shopkeepers in the area yesterday. Some of them, still riled from Monday's incident, shouted: "Thaksin, Get Out! Nation Seller!"

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday said the fact that shopkeepers had shouted at Thaksin emphasised that society had become very volatile and fragmented.

"Thaksin is trying to make the crisis expand to every corner of society. The problem of one person becomes a problem of the Parliament, voters, and protesters - all of whom are deeply divided in terms of perspective. This reduces the possibility of finding a solution," Abhisit said.

"Will Thaksin accept the reality that society is very divided and does he think he can solve the problem, either before or after the election?" he asked.