Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda tried to distance himself from the junta yesterday after facing allegations of being the mastermind behind

last September's coup. He told reporters yesterday that he hoped the anti-coup protesters who accused him of being behind the coup would join hands in bringing about peace in the country.

"I don't think I was attacked," Prem said. "There are people saying things, however."

Prem was dragged into the ongoing political feud a week ago when anti-coup protesters marched close to his official residence to accuse him of being behind the vicious cycle of

coups.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said it was up to the public to judge but added that Prem had had nothing to do with the coup. "I know full well that when I was a privy councillor he was not involved and didn't know what was to happen."

In July, before the coup, Prem indirectly exchanged words with then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra by reminding the armed forces that the members of the government were like the jockeys of the military horse, and "the owners of the horse are the nation and His Majesty". Anti-coup protesters say many people close to Prem were appointed after the coup to the Cabinet and the National Legislative Assembly.

General Sonthi Boonyarat-glin, chairman of the Council for National Security (CNS) and the September coup leader, also came to Prem's rescue yesterday saying he was "clean and innocent".

Sonthi also made a remark about the PTV pro-Thaksin rally scheduled for March 30,

saying he was not worried about it. He added that he believed the public would understand

that the CNS had no plan to extend its power beyond this year and that the junta had nothing to hide.

"People will soon get bored of joining the protest, because it doesn't have any substance,

and no matter what, the public knows that the country has been in a state of crisis for a long time now," Sonthi said.

Chatuporn Phromphan, PTV deputy chairman, said the demonstrators would be ready

to face arrest during the March 30 protest.

"We're now coordinating with various alliances to join the anti-CNS protest as one team. We're not afraid about being arrested or having our stage demolished, because we haven't broken the law. They can arrest us whenever they like, but if the government and the CNS try to do anything to prevent us from airing our views they themselves will become the defendants in the eyes of society. The people won't put up with it," Chatuporn said, adding that Bangkok Governor Aprirak Kosayodhin's attempt to dismantle the stage was tantamount to

a double standard when compared to his stance towards the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy protest before the coup.

The banned television channel is now producing more than 100,000 VCDs, which it claims will unmask the CNS before the coup even took place. The VCD, which claims to reveal all the people involved in the coup, will also be put on the station's website.