For teachers' groups from Rayong, victory means getting a new version of the school decentralisation legislation. However, the first step on that road would be Thaksin's resignation, they agreed.

"We will stay until the Constitution is amended, which would mean the Decentralisation Act would be changed too," Suradej Promchok, director of Wat Huang Hin School, said yesterday.

Some of the 200 yellow-T-shirt-clad teachers from the province planned to go home last night to complete preparations for their students' examination season, which begins in the middle of this month. They said they would return to join the "non-stop" rally, however.

If the premier stepped down without any amendment to the Decentralisation Act, they would take a break and organise a separate rally, as a Thaksin resignation would likely spell the end of the PAD's protests, Suradej said.

"If we join together, amending the charter will become a big issue and result in the amendment of the act," he said.

To attend the current rally, the teachers spent their own money, with some donations from other teachers.

Klan Choochuai, 65, a retired government officer from Krabi, said he would stay at Sanam Luang until the charter is amended.

"Krabi people are here. We won't go back until we win," he said repeatedly.

However, he acknowledged that the group, which was only a small one, would really be following the instructions of the PAD as to whether to stay or leave.

His group of 50 people left Krabi on Saturday, he said.

Their children were supporting them financially as the demonstrators were paying for their own food, he said.

Banjerd Laopiyasakul, 52, said he flew in from Surat Thani yesterday afternoon while others from the province planned to come by bus and camp out at Sanam Luang. People from the province agreed to stay for three days before going home to take care of some business and come back later.

"I don't think it will be long before Thaksin resigns," he said.

Jaruwan Chuaingan, 39, a food vendor from Bangkok, said she would come every day that she was free.

Likewise, Somchai Butnain, 50, from Saraburi planned to stay overnight last night and go home to sell food in the afternoon. He would come back and re-join the rally every day until the Thai Rak Thai Party was gone from the government, he said.

"I come with my heart. No one hired me. I'm a man . . . I'm not tired. I want to do this," he said.

But he, too, acknowledged that without the leadership of the PAD, his group of more than 1,000 people might have to leave. Like the others, however, he was confident that Thaksin would resign.

Kornchanok Raksaseri

The Nation