Anti-government activist Sondhi Limthongkul addresses supporters outside the Royal Thai Police headquarters after lodging a complaint against Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday.

Media mogul Sondhi Limthongkul yesterday filed a complaint against Thaksin Shinawatra alleging dereliction of duty for failing to take action against the unidentified "charismatic people" accused by the caretaker prime minister of attempting to overthrow him unconstitutionally.

Sondhi and other People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders filed the complaint at the Royal Thai Police Headquarters, accusing Thaksin of violating Section 157 of the Criminal Law for dereliction of duty.

Thaksin told a gathering of high-ranking bureaucrats at Government House last Thursday that the country's political confusion had persisted "because charismatic people and some organisations outside those sanctioned by the Constitution are trying to overthrow the government, rules and laws, Constitution and democracy.

"The person who wants to be prime minister under Article 7 [of the Constitution, which allows for a royally appointed premier] secretly instructed permanent officials and asked [former Cabinet secretary-general] Borwornsak Uwanno and [former deputy premier] Wissanu Krea-ngam to resign. Some organisations' leaders followed their instructions, causing damage to the system," Thaksin had said.

Sondhi said Thaksin knew whom he meant and must take action against the person and extra-constitutional organisations he had referred to or face punishment for failure to do so. "By keeping mum about the matter, Thaksin shows he lacks responsibility and is creating public confusion," he said.

He said he would give the police seven days to take action, or else his group would take the case to the criminal court. He said the PAD had so far filed 18 separate complaints with the police but had not seen any progress.

Sondhi said that after Thaksin's exit from power, he would take action against the police who accepted the complaints but failed to take action.

Royal Thai Police secretary Maj-General Prawut Tawornsiri said police would take action and have an answer ready for Sondhi within seven days.

Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thuagsuban said Thaksin made the comments out of anger and insecurity. He did not believe that there were any "charismatic people trying to overthrow the government". Former Cabinet secretary-general Borwornsak Uwanno had already dismissed Thaksin's allegation, he added.

"Thaksin has made the public lose its faith in him. Being prime minister, Thaksin cannot say such things. Being in that position, you need to be credible," he said.