Links suspected between red shirts

"We are keeping a close watch on the threat for armed struggle made by red-shirt leader Jakrapob Penkair," he said.

Security at Government House has been reinforced by 200 soldiers as a precautionary move following speculation about an assassination plot against the prime minister.

Suthep yesterday chaired a meeting at Government House about the celebrations for His Majesty the King's 60 years on the throne.

After the two-hour long meeting, he told reporters that he was confident about the security measures in place for the event, which would involve than 10,000 police and military officers.

"I won't allow myself to make too many mistakes," said Suthep, who is in charge of security affairs and was blamed for the lax measures that put Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's life at risk and led to the embarrassing cancellation of the Pattaya summit.

Panitan Wattanayagorn, the caretaker government spokesman, said the premier would preside over the official function marking Coronation Day on May 5.

Abhisit has said he still believes that most of the red shirts are not prone to violence, and that though some of their leaders might want an armed struggle they will not be winning much public support.

Asked about a report from the National Intelligence Operations Centre that the red shirts might adopt tactics used by the now-defunct Communist Party of Thailand, he said the warning had not been discussed in Cabinet.

However, he added, Jakrapob would face legal proceedings for inciting red shirts to pick up arms to overthrow the government.

People's Alliance for Democracy spokesman Suriyasai Katasila said he believed fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra would rely on the leftists and violent tactics in order to stage a comeback since his peaceful struggle had failed.

Suriyasai said the PAD suspected the leftists, who were defeated during the Cold War, were trying to exploit Thaksin's popularity resume their struggle.

"I suspect that the leftists are using democracy and Thaksin to disguise their true intentions of undermining the monarchy," he said, referring to communist tactics to subvert the country's revered institution and pave the way for a revolution.

Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry's permanent secretary General Apichart Phenkitti said he believed the red shirts would not be able to garner much public support if they used communist ideologies.

"Our country has come this far and I think most people won't accept those ideologies. It's a concept from the past," he said.