Preparations were being made and plans were mapped out even though it remained unclear how the Constitution Court would rule today about the legality of the April 2 snap elections, senior figures from Thai Rak Thai and Democrat parties said.

Thai Rak Thai party-list MP Chuwit Pitakpornpallop yesterday said his party leader Thaksin Shinawatra reiterated the need for party members to prepare a fresh election.

Chuwit's comment came after his round of golf with Thaksin and other key party members at the Lake Wood Golf Course in Bangkok's Bang Na district.

Wang Nam Yom faction member Pracha Prasopdee said Thai Rak Thai MPs were readying their vehicles to take part in the election campaign.

"As I talked with my constituents, they still support Thai Rak Thai and want Thaksin to return as prime minister," he said.

Suthichai Janar-rak, from the TRT's Por Mod Dam faction, yesterday said that faction leader Suchart Tancharoen had told members to prepare for a new election in the near future. "Whatever the court ruling will be, at least we have to get ourselves ready," he said.

Suchart would tomorrow call a meeting of faction members to discuss the political situation after the Constitution Court verdict, Suthichai said.

Meanwhile, the Democrat Party yesterday reaffirmed its plan to contest the next election if the Constitution Court rules today to nullify the April 2 polls.

Democrat spokesman Ong-art Klampaiboon said the party realised that it could not contest against state power, and he alleged unfair practices by the Election Commission would cause the party to lose in the new election.

But, the spokesman said, the party would participate in the election to help get the country out of the political crisis.

Witthaya Kaewparadai, former Democrat MP for Nakhon Si Thammarat, said his party planned to field 10 candidates there who were former MPs for the southern province.

"I will run in Constituency 10, Surin Pitsuwan [the former foreign minister] will contest in Constituency 1," he said.