Thai opposition says it is ready to form government

Bangkok: Thailand's opposition Democrat Party warned yesterday that a speech by exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra could re-ignite political turmoil, while expressing confidence that the party can form a new government next week.

Thaksin - still powerful despite being ousted in a 2006 coup for alleged corruption - hopes to head off a government led by his rivals with a telephone address to tens of thousands of supporters today.

Thailand's Parliament is to meet on Monday to elect a new prime minister amid hopes that it will put an end to chaos which has paralysed the government for six months and climaxed in a week long siege of Bangkok's two airports.

Nattawut Sai-kua, a government spokesman and an organiser of today's event, said Thaksin would accuse the powerful military and other forces of intervening in politics and destroying the democratic process.

"They are trying to fix who should be the next prime minister," he said.

The Democrats say they have enlisted enough lawmakers from other parties to form a parliamentary majority and name their leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister of a new government.