BANGKOK - THAI anti-government protesters on Friday threatened to resume street demonstrations that have crippled the kingdom for months if a new premier is chosen from the old ruling party next week.

MPs are set to vote for a new prime minister in a special parliamentary session on Monday after a court decision on Dec 2 ousted the premier and disbanded his ruling People Power Party (PPP).

The PPP has since regrouped under the newly formed Puea Thai party that the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) accuses of acting as a proxy for ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra who was ousted in a 2006 coup.

'We oppose any proxy prime minister from Puea Thai or any coalition government that comprises members of Puea Thai which is a puppet party of Thaksin,' the PAD said in its first statement since ending six months of street demonstrations.

'The new government must support a new politics in which people can widely participate in accordance with the PAD to prevent any future political crises,' the statement said.

The PPP already looks set to lose control of the country after four smaller parties from its coalition crossed the floor to join the opposition Democrat Party following the court's decision in a vote fraud case.

A key faction of former PPP lawmakers has also defected, following months of anti-government protests by the PAD that peaked in late November with an eight-day airport blockade.

Puea Thai and the Democrats are now vying to muster enough MPs to give them a majority in Monday's vote. -- AFP