Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced Saturday that the country will decide whether to amend the constitution at the next Senate election in April amid increasing oppositional pressure to ask him to step down.

In his weekly radio address, Thaksin said a ballot would be added simultaneously during next Senate election slated on April 19 to decide whether to amend the country's constitution.

In 1997, Thailand enacted a reformist constitution with an aim to promote democracy.

The announcement was made hours before an anti-government rally scheduled Saturday in the capital expected to draw tens of thousands of participants.

This rally, expected to be shorter than the previous one on Feb. 4, will be led by a coalition of civic groups strengthened by lecturers and students who insist that the prime minister's days are numbered.

Accused by the critics of corruption and abuse of power, Thaksin has apparently decided to compete with the anti-government campaign. He opened Government House for a third straight day Friday to greet supporters bussed in by Thai Rak Thai MPs and government agencies.

During the Senate election, Thailand' electorate, citizens with 18 years age upward, are invited to exercise their right. According to the constitution, all the newly-elected senators will be in office for at least six years while the 500 members of the Thai House of Representatives each has a four-year term in office.

Source: Xinhua