Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul yesterday voiced opposition to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's determination to go to Chiang Mai despite a threat on his life.

Chaovarat said the Cabinet on Tuesday asked many questions about why the PM needed to attend the Chamber of Commerce meeting in Chiang Mai as ministers were concerned the red shirts could instigate violence.

"It is like matches that must consist of a box and a piece of wood. If there is only a box and no wood, fire cannot be lit,'' he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said he believed the PM should avoid going to Chiang Mai because the red shirts there had a record of resorting to violence.

He feared that the red shirts in Chiang Mai and Bangkok were cooperating to incite unrest and instigate violence.

"If there is a problem in Chiang Mai, it could instigate violence in Bangkok,'' he said.

However if Abhisit insisted he should go, Suthep said he would propose the Internal Security Act be imposed in Chiang Mai and would try not to inconvenience Chiang Mai people.

He said he was more concerned about the red shirts inciting unrest as he was confident security agencies could protect the PM.

"A small clash can snowball into a big issue. I have been assigned to look closely and cooperate with local authorities in the area because the PM would like to go there since he believes it would help the private sector restore confidence,'' he said.

Meanwhile eight Democrat Party MPs led by Phitsanulok MP Dr Warong Dejkijwikrom supported Abhisit's decision to go to Chiang Mai.

They said that as a Thai citizen, he should be able to travel to any province, and as PM he should be able to solve problems in any province.

Pheu Thai Party Chiang Mai MP Surapong Towichakkul said Abhisit should take one step back since the red shirts in Bangkok had cancelled their planned rally.

"The iron is hot, it is not a good idea to increase fire,'' he said.

Surapong said the PM should heed the advice from his Cabinet to use a video link, because if he had to go there and impose the security law, it would affect tourism.

"Abhisit once said during the Somchai Wongsawat government that if Somchai goes somewhere but cannot perform his duty, then he should not go.

If Abhisit forgets this statement that he made, it means he has Alzheimer's," he said.