The bill was ultimately withdrawn after an uproar, but protests against it gained momentum in Bangkok and turned into a larger antigovernment movement targeting what opponents say is an unhealthy domination of politics by the Shinawatra clan. The government, protest leaders said, was more concerned about Mr. Thaksin than the well-being of the country.
The protesters have raided government offices, and shut down and occupied major intersections. The state of emergency announced Tuesday has not yet been in enforced and protesters on Wednesday destroyed the sign outside of the national police headquarters.
Protesters are calling for a hiatus of democracy and the establishment of an unelected “people’s council” to run the country. The demonstrators are allied with the oldest political party in the country, the Democrats, who are boycotting the elections.
But the protests have caused a backlash among government supporters in the north and northeast, who are angry at the attempts to block elections that their party is considered almost certain to win.
This schism in Thailand between northerners — who are grateful that the governing party represents their interests — and wealthier residents in Bangkok who resent the newfound power of the provincial masses, is at the heart of the crisis. It is also at the heart of the debate over whether the country should proceed with elections.
Last month, protesters prevented the registration of candidates in several districts in southern Thailand, part of their campaign to block the elections.
Sodsri Satayathum, a former election commissioner, said she recognized the difficulty of the situation but that the Election Commission should have done more, including asking the military to help ensure that candidates could register.
Because protesters blocked registration in 28 districts, Parliament may fall short of a constitutional requirement that 95 percent of seats be filled even if the election is held, making it impossible to seat a new government.
“We cannot allow the violators of the law to do anything they want — and allow the country to go without any rule of law,” she said in an interview.
Ms. Sodsri said the Election Commission had no choice but to go ahead with the elections.
“The law doesn’t allow postponement,” she said. Mr. Somchai said that he and other commissioners were facing “massive pressure” from antigovernment protesters and that the military had declined requests to help guard the election process.
“I am afraid that if the election goes ahead, there will be violence and it may lead to a coup,” he said. His critics say he has it the wrong way around: They say putting off elections will create a power vacuum that could lead to a coup.
Mr. Somchai said he was aware that the Election Commission had the power to call upon the security forces to ensure that the elections took place on time. But the law, he said, is not paramount at a time of intense turmoil.
“Our society today cannot only live by the law,” he said. “We also have to make sure the country survives.”