The ruling Thai Rak Thai Party said yesterday it would discuss with the new Election Commission the possibility of banning anti-Thaksin rallies once the new election decree comes into effect.

Deputy party spokesman Pimuk Simaroj said the EC should come up with a clear list of dos and don'ts for the election period for all parties concerned to abide by.

"There should be a legal framework governing the rights of political parties, MP candidates, rally-goers, academics and so on after the election decree becomes effective," he said.

Thai Rak Thai officials are increasingly concerned that the anti-Thaksin movement led by the People Alliance for Democracy (PAD) will resort to holding public demonstrations during election campaigns.

The PAD has already announced a plan to hold a major rally at Sanam Luang on Wednesday to pressure caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to quit politics.

Yesterday, Thai Rak Thai officials gave mixed signals about the future of their leader, ranging from calls for him to continue leading the party and the government to a demand for a quick decision if he intends to quit politics.

"I hear that more than 50,000 Udon Thani residents will rally next Saturday [to support Thaksin]," said former MP Theerachai Saenkaew.

Theerachai was one of many politicians from the Northeast rallying behind Thaksin. He said next Friday would see a final decision on whether the caretaker premier would take a political break, before the registration of candidates for the upcoming general election.

With the new EC now in place, rival sides should end the current political discord through the electoral process, Theerachai said.

He added that rural voters still wanted Thaksin to be prime minister, and attacked the PAD for trying to prevent Thaksin's return from his overseas trip.

Thaksin is expected to arrive in Bangkok on Thursday after attending a United Nations meeting in New York, a day after the PAD's scheduled mass rally at Sanam Luang.

Pro-government activist Kamta Kaenboonchan said his "Caravan of the Poor" was ready to support Thaksin's re-election bid. He said Thaksin should not oblige his opponents by quitting politics.

"His opponents know they cannot defeat him at the polls, so they are trying to force him out of office by other means," Kamta said.

The ruling party has started distributing copies of Thaksin's hand-written letter, detailing his activities at the Asia-Europe Meeting in Finland last week, party deputy spokesman Pimuk Simaroj said.

A second letter about Thaksin's activities at the Non-Aligned Movement's meeting in Cuba will be ready for distribution this week, he said.

The two letters are meant to keep constituents informed and their contents are in compliance with electoral rules, he said, dismissing allegations from the Democrat Party that the letters might violate the law.

Thai Rak Thai campaign spokesman Ekkaporn Rakkwamsuk said the media should stop using the term "political break" when speculating on Thaksin's future, saying it has no meaning in political lexicon.

Ekkaporn said no one should draw hasty conclusions before seeing the list of candidates of the ruling party.

Caretaker Labour Minister Somsak Thepsuthin said Thaksin should make up his mind soon.

"Thaksin is still the party leader and as long as he has not said anything, everything will remain the same," he said, hinting that the ruling party can move on only after its leader decides whether to stay on or leave politics.

He said it was too early to debate about contenders to succeed Thaksin, referring to the premier's two deputies, Somkid Jatusripitak and Chidchai Vanasatidya.