The Thai Rak Thai Party aims to defuse the political crisis by announcing its support for constitutional amendments and would vow to dissolve the House in six months - if returned to power after the April 2 election, a highly placed source said yesterday.

Thaksin, the caretaker prime minister, would kick off the TRT campaign on Friday at Sanam Luang. It is expected to mobilise at least 300,000 people to show support for the embattled premier.

Thaksin would announce his party's plan to support constitutional amendments, in a bid to hold on to the status quo.

Calls for his resignation have been growing in recent days as Thaksin has virtually lost support from the intellectuals, the middle class and other key institutions of the country over charges of corruption, contempt for democratic values, and abuse of power.

"Prime Minister Thaksin's an-nouncement at Sanam Luang that the party will amend the Consti-tution and dissolve the House will be a social contract before it contests the April 2 general election,'' the source said. If that were to occur, there could be two general elections this year.

Rumours were swirling around Bangkok all yesterday over the possible announcement of a royal-sponsored prime minister to replace Thaksin.

Political sources identified one of the candidates for the royal-sponsored premiership as General Surayud Chulanont, a member of the Privy Council and a former army chief. Other candidates include Palakorn Suwannarat and Dr Kasem Watanachai, both members of the Privy Council.

The royal-sponsored prime minister would take over leadership of the country because of the bitter political divide, to smooth the transition period and preside over changes to the Constitution.

On Tuesday, during a lunch with the military top brass, Thaksin asked their opinion about the best path to take. Army chief General Sondhi Boonyaratglin reportedly said that he should step down. The signal from the army chief was clear that there was only one way out for Thaksin to end the current crisis.

Political sources said there were attempts to urge Thaksin to resign yesterday in order to prevent him from filling out a registration form to run in the April 2 election.

If Thaksin's rally goes ahead on Friday rally, the political temperature might reach an explosive point, as the pro-democracy groups, led by Sondhi Limthongkul and other key activists, will stage a mass rally on Sunday to demand Thaksin's resignation for good. The pro-democracy movement has given the PM an ultimatum to quit or face their wrath.

The Thai Rak Thai met yesterday to discuss what Thaksin will tell the crowd, expected to be more than 300,000 people. To ensure that the target number of supporters is met, the party ordered each former MP to bring at least 5,000 to 20,000 people for a show of force to suggest there are more pro-government supporters than anti-government opponents.

"The strategy of producing a rally of enormous size in an election campaign is used in France. The bigger the rally, the bigger victory, it would reflect,'' the source said.

Reacting to the Thai Rak Thai's campaign strategies, Suriyasai Katasila, a leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, said Thaksin was trying to distort the issue. He said Thaksin himself was the problem - not the Constitution.

"The only way to solve the current crisis is that Thaksin has to go. How can he wish to preside over the constitutional amendments when he lacks morality and integrity?'' he said.

Chat Thai deputy leader Somsak Prissanananthakul disapproved with Thai Rak Thai's latest plan to stage the April 2 election, then amend the charter. He said Thaksin should amend the Constitution first, then call an election.

"If he agrees to do it this way, the Chat Thai Party may review our decision,'' he said.

However, he doubted the PM would do what he said. "Thaksin is not trustworthy. He changes his mind all the time.''

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva denied commenting on the issue, saying the PM changed his ideas every day. "How can we believe his words?'' he said.

Thai Rak Thai Party board member Sutham Saengprathum said the government will not surrender to mob demands that Thaksin resign.

"If they are going to use this method, then just write in the Constitution that any people whom Chamlong Srimuang does not agree with have to go,'' he said.

Phra Maha Davit, chairman of Organisation of Young Buddhist Monks, said he would mobilise Buddhist monks and as many ordinary Buddhists as he could to offer moral support to Thaksin on Friday.

Time for the super CEO to call it a day - for the sake of the company

This is not the time to debate whether you should have paid taxes. Or what you set up Ample Rich for. Or whether the election boycott is right or wrong. Or whether you have given the country more or less than what you have taken from her. We've gone way past such matters. With the nation on the brink of violent confrontation, this is the time to think, with a clear conscience and true patriotism, about what you should do next and now.

It's over, Mr Prime Minister. If you insist it is not, there will only be dire consequences, and not for any particular individual but our whole country. "Thak-sinomics" and Thailand have gone as far as they can. There are some good legacies after five years, but the fact that two major social forces are set to collide is the best testimony that your system does not suit the entire nation. You were a great CEO, so you should know better than anyone what should be done if a firm's employees are split and at each other's throat.

Yes, it's bottom-line time. A good CEO wouldn't dwell on which side he is on, but only how to save the company. And if the CEO knew it was him who caused the detrimental divide, what would he do? Should he persist on proving that he's right and set both camps on a war-path, and endanger the entire firm? Or should he make the biggest sacrifice by stepping aside and seeing how things go without him?

The nation is in turmoil, and this is totally because one group believes you are a liability, and the other thinks you are an asset. We don't need to list here who are on which side, but it's so obvious that those who are against you are not a one-dimensional movement driven by malicious political purposes. It consists of several social spheres which are unanimous, solid, sophisticated and believe they have good reasons to reject your rule. And until they see the end of your era these forces won't stop their campaign.

What will Thailand's CEO do? The bottom line is no longer his own survival. The country faces a serious threat of political violence that could severely hamper progress. Major policies are now in limbo because the other side does not trust you. Urgent reform is impossible while the other side considers you the root cause of the present political crisis. The economy will be held hostage by never-ending trouble. It's time you made that ultimate sacrifice, the one every leader who loves his country is supposed to make. Never mind that you have been accused of thinking about yourself and serving just yourself. There's still time for you to show that you are a leader who really cares - and be remembered that way.