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Jongrak Juthanond, deputy national police commissioner, expressed confidence that police would be able to prevent any serious incident from happening even though some 15 groups, including the red shirts, were expected to gather during the prime minister's tour.

The officer chaired a meeting of senior local policemen at the Buri Ram police command to discuss the safety plan for the prime minister. Jongrak said there was also a contingency plan to cope with possible confusion.

He said that peaceful protests would be allowed but that police would take legal action against any troublemakers who create violence.

Abhisit is scheduled to visit four districts of Buri Ram to inspect the progress of government-funded projects and to preside over the opening of the country's first dust-free road.

PM's Office Minister Satit Wongnongtaey said some 60 community radio stations in northeastern provinces would relay and broadcast Abhisit's speeches during his Buri Ram visit. Satit said the radio stations would link up to Radio Thailand to broadcast the speeches live.

Satit asked the red shirts not to disrupt the visit, because the prime minister will be there to discuss budget to be allocated for development projects in Buri Ram.

Transport Minister Sophon Saram said the red shirts should not move in to hold protests against Abhisit during his visit to Buri Ram. He said Buri Ram people welcome the prime minister's visit but he was worried that the red shirts from outside Buri Ram would come in to cause trouble in the province.

In a related development red-shirt leader Nattawut Saikua said the red shirts had the freedom to travel anywhere they liked in the country. He said it appeared it would be the PM's visit, not the red shirts, that would disrupt peace in Buri Ram, judging from the amount of police to be deployed.

Meanwhile, the prime minister yesterday was on a one-day visit to Vietnam to discuss the rice trade, tourism, transport links and protection of the Mekong River with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.