"I know who is good or bad," he said. "More than 90 per cent of non-governmental organisation workers are good people, but a few have tainted reputations, and the NGOs should clean up their house."

Thaksin's words were a thinly veiled reminder to the Assembly for the Poor, one of the protest organisers, that he would deal directly with Pak Mool villagers and try to tackle their grievances himself.

"Villagers should speak out for themselves rather than repeating a taped message," he said.

He said relevant parties should trust his government to work out a just solution to the controversy.

"I have pledged to serve another term in office. I, therefore, have to work for the people, otherwise they will not re-elect me," he said.

He said his government would strive for a practical and just solution for the estimated 1 million people living in the area of the dam, adding that unrealistic demands would only prolong the problem.

With regard to tomorrow's meeting with the villagers, he said the meeting room at Government House could accommodate about 30 people and the rest of the country's 63 million population could watch a live broadcast of the talks on state-run Channel 11.

Meanwhile, the prime minister downplayed speculation that 3,000 protesting villagers from Ubon Ratchathani would descend on the capital with demands to be present at the meeting.

Commenting on the meeting, Defence Minister Gen Thamarak Isarankura voiced concerns that the situation might deteriorate if opponents and proponents of the dam decided to confront one another.

"NGOs should act within reason. If they want the government to soften its stand, then they should also adopt a softened position," he said.

In a related development, a group of senators criticised what they termed an "evasion tactic" of blaming NGOs for the controversy, instead of working on a solution.

"I have to step forward and defend the NGOs because the government is trying to cause divisions between NGO workers and Pak Mool villagers," Senator Jon Ungphakorn said.

Jon, who spoke with difficulty as he is undergoing radiation treatment for larynx cancer, said it was unacceptable for the government to adopt divide-and-rule tactics.

"I cannot tolerate the tactic of dividing NGO workers into good and bad groups and trying to distance villagers from their advocates," he said.

He called on the government to stop portraying the Assembly for the Poor in a bad light by spreading allegations that it was responsible for this week's attack on the Pak Mool Mun Yuen village.

Senator Malinee Sukwejworakij also voiced suspicion that the government was trying to undermine the NGOs' standing.

"The government should not be causing divisiveness, as it is its duty to foster solidarity among the people," she said. "The divide-and-rule tactic is a legacy of the colonial era."

Senator Wallop Tangkananurak said the prime minister's attempts to discredit NGOs was misguided and demonstrated his fear of critics that the government could not buy.

"It's a pity that the prime minister characterises NGOs that receive government support as good and those that refuse to accept its support as bad," he said.

The senators, who have NGO connections, called on the government to be tolerant and open-minded when reviewing the protesting villagers' demands.

They said tomorrow's negotiations should be conducted calmly and free of emotional tirades.