Will Thaksin phone-in be aired on NBT?

However, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva warned that if the phone-in were to be replayed it would be tantamount to the government acting as a mouthpiece of the convicted former leader.

Veera Musikaphong, co-host of the "Truth Today" talk show on the state-controlled NBT channel, said he may or may not rebroadcast the speech, which was first aired in front of some 50,000 people at the Rajamangala National Stadium on Saturday.

Veera, himself a former Thai Rak Thai party executive, said that though Thaksin's speech does not fit the show's format, excerpts or the entire discourse could be aired if a co-host were not available on a certain evening. The show runs from Monday to Friday.

He added that the pro-government satellite television MV5 had already been broadcasting the speech.

Meanwhile, Abhisit said the government had no excuse for letting state-controlled NBT channel air the speech.

"I'm not sure if it will be seen as a defamation of the courts or the institution [the monarchy]. Would this be appropriate? By watching the news, one realises that there is an existing condition of conflict. Why doesn't the government recognise this? What the people need most is to have the government restore peace. If [the talk] is replayed, then I can't see it as any other way but an intentional action by the government [to create rifts]."

Meanwhile, Democrat Party deputy secretary-general Thepthai Senaphong threatened to sue the chief of the Public Relations Department, which oversees the NBT channel, if the footage is broadcast.

"You can prepare for it ... and get a lawyer in advance," he warned.