The allegations were made by Thaikorn Polsuwan, a leader of the fringe group Isaan Kuchart (Northeast Liberation Front). Thaikorn is a former Democrat Party member linked to electoral fraud allegations.

 He was speaking at a seminar at the Royal Hotel. The seminar was titled, "The Plan to Incite Civil War to Allow the Thaksin Regime to Seize the Country".

Thaikorn claimed he learned about the alleged plan from members of his group who had infiltrated pro-Thaksin groups.

He said Thai Rak Thai leader and caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra had two plans for maintaining power - one peaceful, the other violent - and that Thaksin was leaning towards the latter.

According to the first plan, a nominal party would be set up and Thaksin would take a political break for one term before returning.

But Thaksin, Thaikorn alleged, appeared to have opted for the second plan and was inciting his supporters and opponents to clash so that a civil war broke out, which would provide him a justification to use violence to suppress his opponents and remain in power.

Thaikorn said Thaksin's statements to top bureaucrats on June 29 was deliberately aimed at provoking his opponents into publicly protesting against him. At the same time, several groups of supporters had been set up to counter Thaksin's opponents.

Thaikorn alleged that two aides of Thaksin, who he identified as "Ped" and "Yuth", had planned to stir up unrest and provoke clashes between the two sides.

Ped and Yuth planned to assassinate leaders of the anti-Thaksin camp to provoke a retaliatory attack on Thaksin's supporters.

Thaikorn alleged that Ped and Yuth had readied a group of men to carry out a "shadow operation". Bombs would be set off in various places in Bangkok while Thaksin's opponents are protesting, to create turmoil, Thaikorn said.

Warin Attanak, a coordinator of the Isaan Kuchart, told the seminar that Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai did not respect the democratic system with the Monarch as the head of state.

New Aspiration Party leader Chinchai Mongkoltham told the seminar that the political situation was critical because the Thaksin government was abusing its power.