BANGKOK - TWO coffins and an unexploded grenade were found outside the home of a politician who switched allegiances in the battle to form Thailand's next government, as rival political groups stepped up their campaign to woo supporters.

The opposition Democrat Party meanwhile continued to insist on Tuesday that it has enough support in Parliament to name its leader, Mr Abhisit Vejjajiva, as the country's fifth prime minister in little over two years.

Next week's expected vote comes after a court banned the elected ruling party last week. The verdict followed months of turmoil, including last month's weeklong takeover of the capital's two airports by demonstrators who oppose ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's continued influence in Thai politics.

The Democrats face off against the Phuea Thai Party - the second reincarnation of Mr Thaksin's original party.

After Mr Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 military coup and his Thai Rak Thai party banned, his supporters formed the People's Power Party, which won elections last December to restore democracy.

However, the Constitutional Court last week ruled that the PPP committed fraud in the election, and forced its leader, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, out of office.

There is still much time before the vote for loyalties to shift among the country's notoriously fickle politicians, who are often enticed with offers of cash and Cabinet positions.

But other forms of pressure were also being brought to bear.

An unexploded M-26 grenade was found about 50m from the house of Mr Boonjong Wongtrairat, a lawmaker from the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima who switched his support from Phuea Thai to the Democrats.

'There were also two coffins found outside the house and a note that he has no political ideology,' said police Lieutenant Colonel Panpichit Sihupond. Mr Boonjong was not at home at the time.

Thaksin supporters also held rowdy but small and nonviolent demonstrations outside of the homes of the other defecting politicians in Khon Kaen province, also in the northeast.

While several of the ruling party's lawmakers were banned from politics, most others retained their seats in Parliament and migrated immediately to the new Phuea Thai Party, established in anticipation of the court's action, so they could try to form a new government.

However, members of four factions that had supported Somchai's government defected to the Democrats.

Mr Sanan Kajornprasart, acting deputy prime minister and a spokesman for the defectors, pledged support for Abhisit and said the Democrats' coalition commands the loyalty of at least 240 lawmakers.

Supporters of the Phuea Thai have said the army pressured lawmakers to switch sides.

The Democrats earlier claimed they had the support of 260 lawmakers - 166 of its own members and the rest defectors - which would give them a majority in the 480-seat House of Representatives. -- AP