A week before "Judgement Day" on the 2006 election fraud cases, Thai Rak Thai has stepped up preparations for being dissolved and launched a popularity campaign.

Tens of thousands of taxi drivers have been asked to turn on their headlights and mount red flags in support of the party.

About 100 former Thai Rak Thai MPs from the Northeast attended an urgent party meeting yesterday to be briefed about developments, as well as a worst-case scenario. They left the party headquarters with files and video CDs they are expected to use when explaining the party's fate and plans to their constituents.

"We have been talking to former MPs over the past few days to give them the correct understanding of the situation before the verdicts come on May 30," said Thai Rak Thai leader Chaturon Chaisaeng.

"We all agree that our strongest point is the election, so we will do the best we can to make sure nothing goes wrong before the promised election at the end of the year."

He said the party was "prepared" for the worst-case scenario - a dissolution verdict which could ban party executives from politics for five years. But Chaturon declined to reveal the plans, saying all details would be given on the day the judgement is handed down.

But over the next few days the party would step up its "campaign for justice", former Udon Thani MP Wichai Chaijitvanichkul said.

"Taxi clubs will be asked to have their members turn on headlights and mount red flags to express public love for justice," said Wichai, who was careful not to portray it as a campaign to pressure the Constitution Tribunal.

"The red colour represents the Thai nation, and we chose the taxi drivers because they have had strong connections with our party," he said. "This is not meant to defy the interim leadership. It will just give people who love our party a chance to express their clamouring for justice."

The party will set up a stage in front of its headquarters on May 30 for its members and followers to monitor the tribunal's rulings.

Party senior members insisted the plan was not meant to create trouble in the event of an order for TRT to be dissolved.

If dissolved, unaffected party members will seek to register a new party, but under the old "Thai Rak Thai" name. Opinions have been divided as to whether registering a new party under the old name is legally possible.

Meanwhile, police have moved to block 198 elephants and thousands of villagers mainly from the North and Northeast from entering Bangkok to protest the possible dissolution of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra's political party.

PTV channel, launched by former executives of Thai Rak Thai, and monks campaigning for Buddhism to be named as the state religion had earlier boasted they would bring 198 elephants to the court to protest against the verdict on the party's dissolution on Wednesday.

Bangkok Police Chief Lt-General Adisorn Nonsi said he would talk to the court today about blocking Chakraphet Road, because many people are expected to gather outside the Constitution Tribunal for the judgement.

About 800 police will throw a blanket of security around and inside the court. Checkpoints at entrances and exits will search for explosives and arms.

Adisorn said he had requested all concerned state agencies to ban animals being brought into Bangkok. He said that while he had sought cooperation from state agencies to prevent the movement of animals, he still feared some may violate the ban because the penalty was not harsh - just a Bt3,000 fine and a 15-day jail term.

"When the religious agency brought nine elephants to join the protest in Bangkok recently, traffic was heavily clogged. We cannot imagine how it would be if just 20 elephants were on the road, let alone 99 elephants," he said.

Security officials have been taking turns to man checkpoints on major highways leading to Bangkok to block villagers mobilised to join the protest if Thai Rak Thai is dissolved. Villagers in Nakhon Ratchasima and Buri Ram, the political stronghold of Newin Chidchob, are under close scrutiny.

Weerapol Sopha, an adviser to the Assembly of the Poor, said it was possible protesters would move against the government during the week because the fate of the "old power" was at stake. There was not only the possibility the party would be dissolved but assets may be confiscated. "It will be hard to block them. People who intend to go will have a way to evade the eyes of police and soldiers," he said.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva supported the move to broadcast live the court's reading of its verdict, saying it was one way to solve the problem of people turning up at the court, which could lead to turmoil.

Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai said the party would respect the court's decision and would not cause political unrest, no matter what the verdicts were.

Thai Rak Thai is accused of financing small parties to run against it in the election as a way of getting around the rule that sets a minimum percentage of votes in constituencies where single candidates run unopposed.

The Democrat Party, which boycotted the election, is accused of conniving with the small parties to lure Thai Rak Thai into illegally funding them.

Chuan criticised Election Commissioner Sodsri Satayathum for saying that the parties, which may be dissolved, could not register a new party under the same name. He said he had consulted legal experts and they advised there was no ban. Chuan said Sodsri should focus on stopping vote-buying rather than trivial issues.