A group calling itself 'White Power' gathers signatures and displahs messages in support of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at Siriraj Pier, across the Chao Phra River from Sanam Luang.

Teachers threatening to close their schools in a bid to force the prime minister into resigning would also face disciplinary action, he said.

The warning came in response to a statement issued by teacher representatives during the anti-government rally last Sunday. The teachers threatened that if Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra did not resign before March 1, they would close their schools in protest and refuse to help at polling stations at the newly called general election scheduled for April 2.

Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang and heads of five major departments held a meeting yesterday to discuss the matter.

Following the meeting, Basic Education Commission secretary-general Pornnipa Limpaphayom said Article 15 of the electoral law stipulated EC officials were authorised to order civil servants to help administer an election. Failure to do so without sound reasons could entail disciplinary action against culpable teachers, she said.

Pornnipa added that educational zone directors would be instructed to ensure teachers' cooperation during the coming election. "Schools are not shops that one can just close or open at will," she stressed.

Chaturon said he believed the schools would not close as had been threatened because the threat reflected the intransigence of a few select individuals, not general agreement among teachers nationwide. In addition, the closure of schools would adversely affect students' education during a time close to a major examination period.

Regarding his own political campaign, Chaturon said he would run under the Thai Rak Thai Party's banner in the coming election and would not resign from the ministry's top post. He insisted, however, that he would not take any action in his post that could be considered politically motivated.

Somyong Kaewsuphan, an opponent of the government plan to transfer schools to local administrations and a member of the People's Alliance for Democracy, said most teachers nationwide would disregard the Education Ministry's threat of disciplinary action because they were determined to unseat Thaksin.

"Though they might face punishment, teachers would continue calling for Thaksin to resign until the people have a prime minister whom all society can accept," he said.

Meanwhile, Wichan Athikaphan, president of the Southern Teachers Association, said he had not considered the matter of civil disobedience yet, but that most teachers in the South would not be ready to lend help to an election for fear of becoming targets of increased attacks by militants in the region.

He said Army officers should accommodate voters at poll booths rather than teachers.