¡¡¡¡Special Report: Crisis in Thailand

     BANGKOK, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Thai Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has offered to form a coalition government composed of the three main opposition parties and the representatives of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) after winning the election, local press reported Monday.

    "I will form a national government after the April 2 elections because it is the way to bring unity back to the country," Thaksin was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying to 20,000 supporters at King Taksin Monument in Thon Buri Sunday.

    He said his "national government" would have a quota reserved for the Democrat, Chart Thai and Mahachon parties as well as smallparties that win seats in the general election.

    The premier urged people to fix the country's divisions by casting their ballots since it is an easy way to make the protesters end their demonstrations.

    Thaksin called the April 2 snap election three years early than schedule in hopes of ending the protracted street protests demanding his resignation over claims of corruption and abuse of power.

    The surprise offer was immediately rejected by the Democrat party and the PAD, which said they would not budge from its position of calling for the King to appoint an interim prime minister to replace Thaksin.

    On Sunday, core leaders of the PAD and demonstrators marched along Bangkok's main shopping district, urging citizens to sign a petition which appealed for the King to appoint an interim prime minister to end the political crisis.

    They planned a permanent rally Wednesday afternoon outside Siam Paragon, the largest shopping mall in Bangkok.

    The Election Commission (EC) is expected to make a final decision Monday on whether to postpone the polls after advance voting was conducted over the weekend for those who cannot go to the polls on April 2.

    Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda and other leading dignitaries took the lead in casting their ballots Saturday, considered as a sign to encourage voters to join the election. Enditem