Thai Senate insists on neutrality

BANGKOK, May 13 (TNA) - Acting Senate Speaker Surachai Liangboonlertchai insists the Senate is working out a road map to help solve the country’s political impasse with neutrality. He made the comment before a special session of the Senate, which resumed Tuesday’s afternoon for the second day. The session was expected to discuss possible solutions to the country’s crisis and look into a possibility of nominating an interim prime minister by virtue of Section 7 of the constitution. Surachai said the Senate has invited concerned parties, including representatives of the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee and the pro-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship to have their says on ways to end the impasse. According to him, acting caretaker Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisan had been asked to join a discussion this evening but he rejected the invitation, claiming that he was occupied with other business. Surachai said opposition Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as well as representatives of independent organizations and the private sector have agreed to join discussions with the Senate tomorrow. The acting senate speaker also appealed to concerned parties not to criticize the Senate and give it more times to draw a road map to end the crisis. Meanwhile, Puchong Nutrawong, Secretary-General of the Election Commission (EC), said the poll agency will meet tomorow with representatives of the caretaker government, led by the acting caretaker premier, to discuss a plan to organize fresh general elections, tentatively scheduled on July 20. He said the meeting will take place at the EC’s headquarters in Bangkok. (End)