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Police put 30,000 officers on standby Friday as part of extra-tight security measures for an anti-government rally that organizers have billed as the last major push to oust embattled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Gen. Jumpol Manmai, head of the National Intelligence Agency, said large numbers of people were heading from southern Thailand to Bangkok to take part in Saturday's rally and police feared there could be violence.

Leaders of a campaign to force Thaksin from office said they would appeal to the country's king to replace the Thai leader during the rally, which was expected to draw tens of thousands of people.

Anti-Thaksin campaigners say Saturday's protest will be the last big pre-election rally.

"Security agencies are monitoring the situation closely," Jumpol said.

Thaksin has vowed to call a state of emergency if protests against him turn violent.

National police spokesman Gen. Achirawit Suphanaphesat said that 10,000 police had been called in from outer provinces to assist 20,000 police in Bangkok who would be stationed at the rally site, near Thaksin's office, and at other key government offices.

Publisher Sondhi Limthongkul, a key leader in the anti-Thaksin alliance, said the group would appeal to King Bhumibol Adulyadej to appoint an interim prime minister to replace Thaksin.

The announcement came just before the expiration of a Thursday night deadline set by the protesters for Thaksin to resign of faced stepped-up civil action.