Among the limited options available, either House dissolution or resignation were the best – and most likely – way out for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the face of mounting pressure from society, academics and politicians agreed yesterday.

Political scientist Prayad Hong-thongkham said he did not think Thaksin would opt to step down.

“House dissolution is the best option available for the prime minister and is likely to please anti-Thaksin protesters,” he said.

The academic said Thaksin had tried several tactics to appease the dissatisfied elements and that if he ran out of ideas, his trump card would be to dissolve the House and call a snap election.

Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai Party would benefit most from this option as they had a high chance of returning to power due to strong support from voters in the grassroots sector, said the academic.

“By winning the [snap] election, Thaksin would be able to save face and show his opponents that most voters still had trust in him,” Prayad said.

He suggested Thaksin should allow his “political heir” to head a new government in order to lessen opposition against the administration. “But if he’s really smart, he should leave the country to live on the Bt70 billion,” Prayad said, referring to income from the Shina-watras’ recent sale of their shares in Shin Corp.

Trakul Meechai, a political science lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, said he believed Thaksin would dissolve the House.

“It’s not that he’s come to a dead-end but he’s trying to get the upper hand,” Trakul said, adding he believed the premier would dissolve the House some time during a joint general debate of the two Houses next month. It was likely Thaksin would blame a “serious parliamentary crisis” as the reason for dissolving the House.

“This way, he will also be able to remove thorns in the side of his party,” said the academic. He was referring to dissident MPs in the TRT who would be unlikely to meet the 90-day legal requirement to contest the next election under another party’s banner if the PM called a snap election.

He forecast that the ruling party was unlikely to win any seats in Bangkok but would grab between 270 and 280 seats from the provinces, far less than its present number of MPs but still enough to return to power.

Thaksin yesterday rejected a rumour he would dissolve the House of Representatives and call a snap election by May.

“That’s what you think and say. I have not said a word about it,” he told reporters at Government House in the morning.

The premier also appeared to play down the participation of his former political mentor, Chamlong Srimuang, in a campaign to call

for Thaksin’s resignation. When asked to comment on Chamlong’s

latest move, Thaksin responded, “Buddhadasa [a late respected monk] once said, ‘That’s the way it is’.”

Thaksin told his Cabinet members during an emergency meeting on Sunday night, shortly after Chamlong’s announcement, that “he will not resign, but if the situation deteriorates, he will dissolve the Parliament”, according to government spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee.

The premier has ruled out resigning his seat, arguing that he would not upset people who voted for his party and want him to serve his full four-year term. He also made it clear he wants to keep his status quo intact by offering compromises to critics and opponents to a certain extent.

Sarit Santimethaneedon, a Thai Rak Thai MP who is close to Chamlong, yesterday called on Thaksin to “make a great political sacrifice” by stepping down.

He said the government was unlikely to stay on comfortably in the current political situation, which he said was heading for a dead-end.

The government MP said he did not think House dissolution would be the best option for the ruling party as it would definitely win less than 300 House seats in the snap election.

Senator Wanlop Tangkhananurak agreed Thaksin should step down as he no longer had the legitimacy to run the country.

Retired General Panlop Pinmanee, an adviser to the defence minister, yesterday ruled out the possibility of a military coup.

“The current military leadership is highly professional. Bringing about political change through military force is a thing of the past,” he said.

In a related development, senators and opposition politicians yesterday expressed suspicion at Thaksin’s proposal for a joint general debate between the two Houses to discuss “the political crisis”.

Wanlop said it appeared such a debate was a political farce aimed at reducing the pressure on the prime minister.

Senator Seree Suwanpanont said if the government was really sincere, it should not limit the topics to be discussed at the joint meeting.

Democrat Party and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday the general debate was unlikely to dispel doubts because Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam had already said many topics were off limits. “The most appropriate move is to censure the prime minister because all problems have stemmed from him,” Abhisit said.

Government spokesman Surapong said the joint debate was not aimed at reducing political pressure or whitewashing the government. “The prime minister is ready to answer all questions about himself,” he said.