Worker unions at major state electricity and water companies are preparing to hold an informal strike against the government to force Prime Minister Thaksin to resign. They threaten that, should Thaksin resist, unions from other major state companies will go on strike as well.

BANGKOK (Reuters) – The heads of government electricity and water unions backing a campaign to oust Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra threatened on Monday to call informal strike action this week unless he quits.

Union chiefs at three state power and two water firms would be urging members to take holidays from Tuesday to join the campaign, Pien Yongnu, head of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority labour union, told Reuters.

“We urge them to exercise their leave rights to join the rally daily until Thaksin quits,” Pien said. The five unions command around 50,000 employees in Bangkok and elsewhere.

If Thaksin resisted, unions at 42 state firms from rail to telecoms would call a nationwide strike from Monday, he said.

The threats are the latest addition to the growing anti-Thaksin campaign, which has vowed round-the-clock protests, led by renegade Buddhist “Dharma Army” monks, to force him out.

Thaksin, who won an landslide election victory a year ago, repeated his intention to remain in office, saying to quit would merely be bowing to the wishes of a small group of people, not the great majority.

Thaksin is correct in saying that the great majority of the people in the country do support him. Read my case for people power pressure against the government, but not a people power revolution, here.

The problem for the opposition is that the poor countryside population doesn’t care much for the government scandals going on. However, it’s credit is that it is based largely in the cities which makes it infinitely easier to organize. The pro-Thaksin rallies had to bus in supporters in order to reach crowd masses the same size as the anti-Thaksin protests.

That the unions are joining in, along with the marginal middle class and even the elite, helps their cause. Especially since many of the worker unions are for employees of state-held companies. A mass strike by these workers could paralyze operations within the company, leading to a more popular rebellion against a failing government.

The chances for another people power revolution are stronger and seem to be getting stronger. The possibility of bloodshed between pro-Thaksin and anti-Thaksin groups is also possible given the history of Thailand’s people power coups. The month ahead will prove to be decisive.