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Despite a heavy downpour which lasted an hour, supporters of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), who said they were gathering in the name of democracy, bathed the Sanam Luang area in a sea of red.
Sanam Luang is close to where thousands of anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters are stationed at Government House.
'The People's Alliance doesn't care about democracy at all,' said Mr Sadit Jaithieng, 51.
'With Thaksin, we had 100 per cent democracy,' he said.
Mr Pisamai Hatyao, accused the PAD of destroying democracy.
'I don't like the PAD at all. They have no sense of fairness. I am here because I love democracy.'
Refering to possible clashes, the 34-year-old cook said: 'For the sake of democracy I am prepared to die.'
Wary of street violence, the police and the army were on standby.
Bangkok police chief General Jongrak Jutanond said officers deployed at the rally venue would carry only shields.
'If there are signs of the situation getting out of control, we will send in anti-riot police with batons and tear gas to prevent a clash,' he said.
UDD and PAD demonstrators had clashed near Government House almost three weeks ago, leaving one person dead and dozens injured.
The bloody free-for-all on that early morning of Sept 2 led to then-prime minister Samak Sundaravej calling for a state of emergency, which was eventually lifted last Sunday.
But this time, the UDD and PAD have promised there will not be any violence.
'The confrontation temperature is lowered a little bit,' said Mr Paul Quaglia, director of PSA Asia, a Bangkok-based security and risk assessment consulting firm.
'The general political environment isn't really supportive of a violent clash.'
Now that the emergency has been lifted, the UDD said that they were free to gather, and they want the mainly middle-class members of the PAD to vacate Government House.
'I think the majority of Thais want them out of the Government House,' former human rights commissioner Jaran Ditta-apichai, who is now with the UDD, told The Straits Times.
'But we don't plan to push them out literally. We will let our voices be heard, show our support to the government, and leave it up to them to do it.'
He added that there are plans to hold at least two more rallies next month.
Against the backdrop of these tensions on the ground, however, newly elected Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat told reporters he had spoken to key members of the PAD about ending the protest.
Fellow PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang said the PAD was prepared to negotiate but with conditions.
He said Thaksin must be brought back to face a prison sentence for graft and corruption, his red diplomatic passport should be revoked and that Mr Somchai must not intervene in the judicial process to indict the former premier.
Mr Somchai, who is the brother-in-law of Thaksin, declined to discuss details of what he discussed but said he was optimistic there would be positive results.
'We all are Thais and we should not hate each other forever. Our differences on ideas can be ironed out through dialogue,' he said.
The Bangkok Post reported yesterday that an envoy from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) is believed to be on his way to London to submit the potential line-up of the new Cabinet to Thaksin.
Quoting a source from the PPP, the paper said Mr Yongyuth Tiyapairat, a former deputy leader of the party had been ordered to Britain - where Thaksin is in exile - to update him on the political situation and seek his advice on allotment of Cabinet seats.
The new Premier also inspected his new offices after converting a terminal at Bangkok's domestic Don Muang airport for the more than 2,000 staff members.
'Today, I come to survey the site and I find that it's solid,' Mr Somchai told reporters, adding that he would work from the airport 'until Government House returns to normal'.
