PAD to regroup if red shirt protest turns unruly

"The five leaders of the PAD have been monitoring the situation every hour out of concern that the red shirts might be proned to violence," Suriyasai said.

He said he suspected that the red shirts had made an unreasonable demand about wiping out the socalled bureaucratic polity in order to involve the military upon the eruption of violence.

He said the PADled yellow shirts would not allow the red shirts to instigate chaos.

Pheu Thai MP Pracha Prasopdee said he expected more than 500,000 red shirts to join the Wednesday's rally.

Pracha dismissed speculation that expremier Thaksin Shinawatra was staying in Cambodia. He said he just had a telephone conversation with Thaksin on Saturday's night and that Thaksin's telephone number indicated he was in the Middle East.

He said the red shirts were ready to lead an uprising more powerful than the October 14, 1973 incident.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in his weekly address that he was concerned about attacks on the country's institution and its leading figures.

Abhisit said rival camps should not try to harm the country for political gains.

He said although his government will tolerate political differences, its opponents are obligated to observe the rule of law.

The Civil Court has already issued an injunction against blocking access to Government House and the Legal Execution Department is in the process of enforcing the court order, hence protesters should comply and remove the blockade, he said.

He reminded his opponents that his government would not permit them to stay above the law.

Commenting on the demand for House dissolution, he said he would call for the general election as soon as the situation warranted for a peaceful transition of power but would not act in haste which might lead to more confusion and instability.