'I will not quit'

Although increasingly isolated, embattled PM's Office Minister Jakrapob Penkair has told an aide he will not quit in the face of controversy over a speech deemed by critics to be offensive to the monarchy.

"He has just said he will absolutely not resign," says the aide, who asked not to be named.

The apparent defiance came after former premier Thaksin Shinawatra further distanced himself from Jakrapob yesterday.

Thaksin had earlier sent a similar message through former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. But his first public statement on the controversy yesterday left Jakrapob almost completely isolated.

While repeating that Jakrapob must take responsibility for his controversial speech made last year as a guest of the Foreign Corres-pondents' Club, Thaksin only stopped short of asking for the minister's immediate resignation.

"I think Jakrapob is a man with [good] judgement because he always listens to public opinion. He must know what he should do," Thaksin told reporters. The former PM was speaking in Suphan Buri, where he and Chart Thai secretary-general Prapat Potasuthon met a delegation from Saudi Arabia.

Clarity may save him

"I'm worried for him because if he can't explain and make the public understand him, he may have to retreat," Thaksin said.

"He will be okay if he can explain. However, the explanation has to be clear-cut. We need to understand that people are sensitive on this issue, therefore I don't want to see politicians try to involve the institution in any way.

"The institution is above the law and we must respect it and raise it above politics. Whoever tries to exploit the institution - whether in order to attack others or gain credit for themselves - is not doing a good thing."

Thaksin met Jakrapob briefly in the morning, apparently to discuss the potentially explosive controversy. The minister did not go to his office afterwards and his aides said he was busy otherwise.

Jakrapob has been scheduled to accompany Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on a two-day visit to the Philippines starting today. But his name has been taken off Samak's delegation without immediate explanation.

Ready to battle

Jakrapob is known to have completed a translation into Thai of his speech in which he criticised the country's "patronage" system, saying it clashes with the new force of democracy.

Another aide to Jakrapob, Jaruwong Ruangsuwan, does not believe his boss will quit. "He has great endurance, like Superman."

But Jakrapob is running out of key supporters. Chavalit, who had been thought to be his guardian, is now toeing Thaksin's line. Samak, too, admits an investigation into the speech will be conducted and legal processes begun if there are grounds for lese majeste.

Jakrapob seeking support from Chavalit and Thaksin is an irony in a controversy triggered by his attacks on the patronage system - which he says makes people dependent on more powerful figures.