Rally must be peaceful, PM tells PAD

"The people will be the judge on who the troublemakers are," he said pointing an accusing finger at the People's Alliance for Democracy for dis¬turbing social peace.

Samak said the government would remain tolerant to the opposition movement as long as protesters stayed within the legal limits.

He urged the media not to hype up PADled street protests, saying that lopsided reporting would only worsen public confusion.

In spite of the mass rally, he expected the weekly Cabinet meeting to take place and the government to function as usual.

Police have been under a strict instruction to keep peace at the rally site near Makawan Rangsak Bridge, police deputy spokesman Lt General Suraphol Thuanthong said.

"Security at the rally site will be beefed up and antiriot police units will do their job with utmost restraint in order to avoid any eruption of vio¬lence," he said.

Metropolitan Police com¬missioner Lt General Aswin Kwanmuang said he expected protest organisers to keep the rally peaceful.

"I don't think the crowds will turn unruly and police will not obstruct peaceful activities of the protesters," he said.

Crowds at the rally site are expected today to surge to more than 100,000.

Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart warned the PAD that it might have gone overboard in trying to bring about the downfall of the elect¬ed government.

He voiced concern that as the PAD was relying on nonpar¬liamentary means to oust the government, this might provide the pretext for a coup.

He called on PAD leaders to work with Parliament if they wanted to grill certain office holders or to expose flaws in the government.

Protesters from upcountry began travelling to the rally site on Sunday. Thousands from Khon Kaen and Si Sa Ket arrived in the capital yesterday.

The majority of protesters travelled in small groups in order to avoid alerting police at various checkpoints on the main roads.

Some 3,000 protesters who declared themselves royalists from Chiang Mai joined the rally and vowed to continue on until the government falls.