BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Embattled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra resumed his duties full-time Tuesday as opponents planned more street demonstrations and law suits to force his ouster.

Faced with protesters accusing him of abuse of power and corruption, Thaksin took a 49-day “break” from the political arena, appointing a caretaker prime minister and taking several trips abroad.

“Yes, I am coming to work full-time and will chair every Cabinet meeting,” Thaksin told reporters before attending the weekly Cabinet meeting.

His appointment of Chitchai Wannasathit as caretaker prime minister was expected to be revoked later Tuesday.

Nakhon Chompuchart of the Law Society of Thailand said he had filed a law suit against Thaksin, asking the Administrative Court to rule on his status and charging that the prime minister had taken an illegal leave of absence.

“Thaksin resuming the position while charges against him are pending shows that he totally ignores the legal system,” Nakhon said.

The leader of the opposition Democrat Party, Abhisit Vejjajiva, said Thaksin’s return would create more turmoil.

The People’s Alliance for Democracy, an umbrella group which orchestrated months of street protests, said demonstrations against Thaksin would resume after celebrations in early June marking the 60th anniversary on the throne of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Bancherd Singkaneti, a law professor at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, said Thaksin lost his status the day he submitted a letter for his leave of absence because the letter said his break from politics would extend until a new government is formed following an election.

Thailand has had a caretaker government and no parliament since April 2 general elections were annulled by the Constitutional Court.

The country’s Election Commission on Monday proposed a further delay in plans for new elections until October 29, after Muslim officials said the earlier date, October 22, conflicted with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

But neither date may hold since the commissioners are under pressure from the country’s top courts as well as opposition political parties to step down over claims that they unfairly favor Thaksin’s government.

Thaksin abruptly dissolved Parliament in February and called snap elections on April 2, but the opposition boycotted the vote and the result was declared invalid.

Thaksin took his break after the polls.

Last month, King Bhumibol Adulyadej urged the country’s top courts to end the political stalemate resulting from the election and the courts invalidated the balloting, won by Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai party.

PCT Thailand

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