Former Democrat PM proposes solutions to Thailand's political deadlock

BANGKOK, May 3 (TNA) - Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the Democrat Party and a former Thai prime minister, has proposed his solutions to the ongoing domestic political deadlock. Abhisit told a press conference in Bangkok on Saturday that his proposals are aimed at avoiding more bloodshed in the country and a military coup, while also preventing the royal institution and the judicial system from being involved in the ongoing domestic political strife. Under the proposals, Abhisit said a national reform could be completed within one-and-a-half-year, if accepted by every rival faction, and a fair, fresh general election could be held within 150 or 180 days thereafter so that a “neutral government” which is acceptable by every party would be formed. The anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) is required to spend between 15–30 days in preparing a “transparent reform council” in which only non-politicians would be its members. The task of this council is to point out which sectors have to be reformed urgently and how long they would take to complete. Abhisit said that a public referendum on the PDRC-proposed national reform be held within 90 days, and that the government set up after the then general election is obliged to undertake the reform. According to the ex-Thai Democrat premier, the neutral government can only be established if only Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her Cabinet resign so that an interim prime minister and Cabinet will be found by the Senate Speaker. Abhisit suggested that a new general election be held within 45–60 days after the completion of national reform and every political party must give assurance that it would support the national poll, while the government is responsible for undertaking national reform, proposed by the “reform council” and endorsed by the majority of voters in the public referendum. Another general election will then be organised, bringing back domestic politics to normal. Abhisit revealed that he would propose his ideas to the caretaker government and the PDRC next Tuesday for their consideration. Charupong Ruangsuwan, leader of the ruling Pheu Thai Party, who is also Caretaker Interior Minister, later told Thai News Agency (TNA) that Abhisit's proposals are “impossible to implement because they are against the law and the Constitution”. Meanwhile, PDRC Spokesman Ekanat Prompan told reporters that some of the Democrat Party leader’s proposals are in line with his group, namely the one that a national reform must be held before a general election. On a proposal requiring the caretaker government to quit, Ekanat said political parties must first hold talks on this issue, but insisting the PDRC would, anyway, continue to hold a mass rally, called the “final battle”, on May 14 to oust the caretaker government. (TNA)