There was a skirmish as tempers frayed at the Phra Arthit Road offices, with some motorcyclists throwing bottles into the building only for the staff inside to hurl them back. The crowd burned a wreath in protest against Sondhi while chanting "Sondhi, get out!"

But Manager staff played the popular rap tune "Ai Na Liam" (Square Face), which contains insulting comments about Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The police stood by as the mob revved their engines and while the two sides traded insults.

On several previous occasions Sondhi has accused Thaksin of committing lese majeste.

According to a report on the Manager Online, the motorcyclists started out from behind Chatuchak Park before heading to the Office of the National Police. The mob leaders were identified as Narongsak Manee and Suraj Chaiyaphand.

The Manager Online identified Narongsak as a supporter of Thai Rak Thai's spokesman Sita Divari in Klong Toei.

They submitted a complaint to the police calling for Sondhi, who is one of the leaders of the anti-Thaksin campaign, and Kom Chad Luek, a newspaper belonging to the Nation Multimedia Group, to be charged for lese majeste.

The evidence they submitted included a clipping of the Kom Chad Luek's March 24 report about Sondhi's alleged lese majeste remarks and a film of Sondhi's comments.

Earlier in the day, Maj-General Surasit Thaworn, a specialist attached to the Supreme Command, and eight other military officers filed a complaint with national police chief General Kowit Wattana against Sondhi, accusing him of lese majeste.

The incident was evidence of another counterattack by the pro-Thai Rak Thai camp. On Thursday, the Caravan of the Poor, with some 2,000 government supporters sealed off the Nation Multimedia Group's headquarters for more than seven hours.

They demanded that Kom Chad Luek, a sister daily of The Nation, clarify its March 24 report on Sondhi's controversial remarks, hoping to gain further evidence against the leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy.

Kom Chad Luek has already sought a royal pardon, which was later acknowledged by Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary, over the piece. It published an apology and has halted the publication of the newspaper for five days, as self-punishment. The paper's editor has resigned and the news chief has been replaced.

 The Caravan of the Poor showed its teeth by barring the Nation Multimedia Group's staff from getting to their offices until it was satisfied with Kom Chad Luek's statement of responsibility.

In Prachuap Khiri Khan yesterday, a group which called itself Hua Hin Rak Hua Hin tried to stop Chamlong Srimuang and Sondhi from holding an anti-Thaksin rally in Hua Hin, although both have signalled that they would not travel there.

The group also blocked a Khon Rak Pho Luang (Caravan of People Who Love the King) group from entering Hua Hin, which led to an abusive exchange.

Kamolphand Chiewphandsri, who led the caravan, said the group had come to Hua Hin in peace and planned to light candles and offer blessings to His Majesty the King before returning to Bangkok the following day without holding a rally.