Thailand Reform Forum expected to come up with solution before New Year

BANGKOK, December 13 (TNA) - Thailand Reform Forum, to be organized by the caretaker government at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Cernter in Bangkok on December 15, in which all concerned parties are invited to participate, is expected to see a solution to ongoing domestic political strife before the New Year. Thongthong Chandrangsu, Permanent Secretary for the Prime Minister's Office, told a press conference on Friday that Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has assigned him to organize the forum on Sunday morning to work out a national reform plan to be then implemented after the new general election. Thongthong assessed that the new general election, set on February 2, 2014 by a Royal Decree, would not restore political order in Thailand and concerned parties, thus, need to enter into a negotiation. Thongthong invited altogether about 100 persons to the upcoming brainstorming session, including business operators, academics, soldiers, police, politicians (two from each political party), senators, as well as representatives of political organizations and demonstrators, covering those from the arch anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) and the pro-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD). Thongthong said he has prepared information on relevant laws and opinions from various sectors and he believes a roadmap or a course of action should be done by the end of this year, noting that Sunday's forum would be live broadcast through radio and television channels of the government-run Public Relations Department. Seven organizations in the Thai private sector have, in the meantime, opened their public forums, in which all concerned parties are also welcome to participate with a national solution expected to be worked out within this month. The seven organizations comprise the Board of Trade of Thailand, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), the Thai Bankers’ Association, the Tourism Council of Thailand, the Federation of Thai Capital Market Organizations, the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and the Thai Listed Companies Association. The seven private organizations announced that they will consider proposals raised on Thursday by PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban and will continue holding such forums for a few more rounds with a conclusion also expected by the end of this year, while listening to proposals from all other forums as well, including those of the red-clad UDD of the government, before finally coming up with their neutral proposals for national solutions prior to the new general election so that the nation can progress. PDRC spokesman Akanat Promphan announced that his group does not reject the government-proposed forum now and a few PDRC representatives may attend the forum on Sunday. Meanwhile, the government-run Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) reported that the updated situation related to anti-government protests appears to be improving, as many parties, including protest leaders, have accepted negotiation forums. However, CAPO Spokesman Police Major General Piya Uthayo acknowledged that police will prosecute demonstrators who were trying to escalate their protest and provoking government officials and police by cutting water and electricity supply, using weapons to hurt them and applying forces to obstruct their work at Bangkok's Government House and will also look for people wanted under arrest warrants at demonstration venues. (TNA)