Thai EC: Domestic political problems could be solved within few weeks

BANGKOK, March 15 (TNA) - The Election Commission of Thailand (EC) is optimistic that domestic political problems should be solved within 2–3 weeks if rival parties joined in a meeting next Monday. An election commissioner, Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, told reporters on Saturday that seven independent government agencies are scheduled to hold the meeting at the Office of the Ombudsman on March 17 and the participants would discuss four major issues now faced by pro and anti-government movements. Refusing to disclose details, Somchai reiterated that he believed the domestic political cruxes could be solved within the next 2 -3 weeks if both sides joined in the session. Somchai acknowledged that even the ruling Pheu Thai Party has accepted the proposed idea, but problems have already emerged even before the meeting starts, as the Administrative Court announced that it would not join the meeting, reasoning that it is not an independent agency, but it is a judicial organisation and it is not authorised to solve any problem if a dispute is not sent to it by parties involving in it, according to Direkrit Jenkrongtham, Secretary-General of the Administrative Court. Earlier, the Office of the Attorney General also announced that it would not participate in next Monday’s meeting, but Somchai said members of the Political Development Council would attend instead. (TNA)