The government has braced for every contingency, including a state of emergency if necessary, due to concerns over the anti-junta rally featuring the appearance of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra via teleconference.

"Authorities will work with utmost effort to ensure peace during protests planned for this weekend," Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said yesterday morning following a high-level security meeting attended by junta chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, acting national police chief General Seripisut Temiyavej and National Intelligence Agency director-general Sirachai Chotirat.

Surayud said anti-riot forces would not be armed so as to prevent any "accident" that could inflame the situation.

"Should the crowd turn unruly, authorities will try to restore peace as quickly as possible, although they will exercise every restraint in order to rein in the crowds," he said.

A state of emergency is one of the contingency plans but will not be invoked unless the circumstances become dire, he said.

Protest-organisers are free to arrange the teleconference between Thaksin in London and the rally site at Sanam Luang, he said.

"The authorities will not try to disrupt the communication signal, although they are duty-bound to monitor the teleconference for compliance with the law," he said.

He reminded protesters they should not abuse their right to free speech to instigate violence.

"Everyone is free to air their views, but they have no right to provoke violence and anarchy," he said.

Emerging from the meeting, Sonthi said the military would not ban the teleconference between Thaksin and his supporters.

"I am prepared for but not overly concerned about the mass rally, because many protesters appear to have been paid to rally," he said.

Protest-organisers expect the crowds to surge significantly from last night until tomorrow.

Seripisut said later that police would use photographic evidence against those found to have received money to join the rally. He said many people had been caught taking money, but he did not identify them.

He repeated a warning by Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin that taxi motorcyclists would have their licences revoked if found to have joined the rally in return for money paid by organisers of anti-junta movements.