Thailand's caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya said on Saturday that the government was not worried about a call by the former opposition Democrat Party for the caretaker government to resign en masse and appeal for the King to appoint an interim government with a new prime minister.

Speaking to journalists after casting his vote in advance of the upcoming April 2 general election, Chidchai said he believed the people would not be confused as they could distinguish good from bad and what could bring chaos to the country.

He was quoted by the Thai News Agency as saying that Saturday's mass rally by anti-Thaksin protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) aimed at setting a deadline for embattled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to resign from his post would be the same as previous demonstrations by the group.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva Friday night told a huge crowd at Sanam Luang that Thaksin should quit his post and himself ask the King to appoint a new caretaker prime minister and the cabinet under Article 7 of the constitution to end the country 's current political turmoil.

Chidchai said security officers have also spoken with PAD leaders and asked them not to march to the Royal Chitralada Villa, which, he said, the demonstrators understood.

He said the demonstrators had said they would gather at National Stadium Sunday and then march along Sukhumvit Road.

Source: Xinhua