The campaign kicks off simultaneously at Chulalongkorn, Rangsit and Srinakharinwirot universities.

Meanwhile about 30 members of a group of academics representing eight national universities will visit Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda this morning.

"Students and academics will mobilise until peace has returned. The upcoming election cannot whitewash a leader who is accused of a lack of ethics, has committed policy mistakes and faced numerous corruption charges," said Anant Laulertvorakul, a coordinator of the Chulalongkorn University Network for Ethical Democracy and a lecturer at its Arts Faculty.

Anant argued: "Thaksin should quit politics. It doesn't need to be permanent but he has to undergo scrutiny. If he passes, he can return. We want to see an election that leads to political reform."

Anant said for academia to stand by and do nothing as the country was "in flames" would be irresponsible.

"We may be afraid to be killed [by dark political forces] but no more than we fear we may not be able to save the country for future generations. In this time of crisis, we can't steer the country back to peace if each citizen does not do their part."

Charas Suwanmala, the new political science dean at Chulalongkorn, and a key member of the network, said the group would continue to question Thaksin's legitimacy even if the Thai Rak Thai won the next election and Thaksin was returned to power.

He said a "genuine system of checks and balances" needed to be put in place.

"Being elected is no guarantee of a politician's morality," he said, adding he could not trust the caretaker government in the election.

Charas criticised Thai Rak Thai populist policies as "undemocratic", "unsustainable" and based on illusion.

"In the future, I want to see people provided with welfare by the state transparently and in a way not dependent on electing a certain party to office. He hoped without Thaksin a new government could initiate political reform.

The campaign kicks off at 4.20pm when about 1,000 academics and students assemble on the lawn of the main library at Chulalongkorn.

Music and symposiums running into the evening would follow.

They would discuss politics, the news media and the role of students in the current climate.

Anant stressed the campaign was not about revolt but about awakening a spirit among students that recognised politics not simply for politics' sake but for national survival.

The campaign follows anti-Thaksin activities at the National Institute of Development Administration - one of the eight institutes of the nationwide Network of Academics for Democracy.

It said it was not associated with the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy.

Pravit Rojanaphruk

 The Nation