|
Thai PM refuses to negotiate
06/09/2008 13:00 - (SA)
Bangkok - Thailand's prime minister has refused to negotiate with protesters who have occupied his office in a bid to oust him, but a new mediation effort by Parliament has raised a glimmer of hope for ending the country's political crisis.
The effort by lawmakers to find a solution reflects their growing frustration over the crisis, which has virtually paralysed the government for the past 12 days and raised fears of an economic downturn, especially in the crucial tourism industry.
The standoff stems from a campaign by the People's Alliance for Democracy - a loose-knit group of royalists, wealthy and middle-class urban residents, and union activists - to oust Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his government, accusing it of corruption and violating the constitution.
Samak, who refuses to go, reiterated on Friday that he will not negotiate with the alliance.
"No, that won't be necessary," he told reporters. Samak has said he will call a referendum to ask the people if the alliance's campaign is justified.
However, he did not reject outright the new proposal by Parliament to let Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondet act as a mediator.
The decision to attempt mediation was made by the opposition Democrat Party and leaders of the two chambers of Parliament - the Senate and House of Representatives.
"The speaker has agreed to find a way to get the two sides to sit down and talk to find a way out," Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters.
Alliance leaders have already rejected a referendum proposed by the government to end the crisis, and most analysts say it would be a futile exercise and divide the country.
Thousands of alliance members who took over the compound of Samak's office, the Government House, on August 26 remain ensconced there under makeshift tents. It is the first time that the seat of Thailand's government has been overrun by civilians.
The alliance protesters accuse Samak of being a stooge of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was removed from power by a military coup in 2006 following months of street protests by the alliance.
On Friday, Samak said he will meet with security officials in the next few days to discuss whether to lift the state of emergency he imposed in Bangkok on Tuesday.
- AP
|
News
