"If you want to make use of me, please vote for me," he said to a cheering crowd of cooperative members who convened a meeting to boost his morale at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani.

Although the title of his speech referred to cooperative affairs, Thaksin tailored his rhetoric to make it sound like a campaign pitch.

"Nowadays I do not have much work to do because they [opponents] are protesting to drive me out of office," he said, referring to the anti-Thaksin campaign.

He said he was grateful for the crowd's support, vowed to serve the public and said he would not allow his opponents to oust him.

"For as long as the people want me to serve them, I will work. I will not let my opponents dictate the timing of my exit," he said.

He pledged to strengthen every cooperative nationwide within a year if he were to receive a fresh mandate to rule.

Bad memories of the 1997 financial crisis are still vivid. Past governments left the public Bt1.4 trillion in debt after selling off non-performing loans at huge losses to foreigners, Thaksin said.

His government has focused on dealing with the plight of people affected by the financial crisis, as no other government has ever done before, the prime minister said.

"Today I will hold a discussion on measures designed to assist salaried people, the middle class, low-income earners, farmers and manual workers. These people all need attention," he said.