Thailand's Caretaker PM chairs election talks

BANGKOK, January 15 (TNA) - Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra chaired a multi-party discussion on the possibility of the postponement of Thailand's new general election, from February 2, 2014, as proposed by the Election Commission (EC). Present at the election date discussion, held at the Royal Thai Air Force's headquarters in Bangkok, were EC Secretary General Puchong Nutrawong, representatives of political parties and the Royal Thai Armed Forces, as well as concerned government authorities, including the permanent secretaries of ministries, the secretaries-general of the Cabinet, the Council of State and the National Security Council (NSC). But all five newly-appointed election commissioners, the Democrat Party and the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) did not send their representatives to attend the election talks. The caretaker government organized the forum to discuss the EC's proposal for the caretaker administration to submit a new royal decree to postpone the new general election from February 2, 2014 for His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's approval. Meanwhile, PDRC demonstrators marched from the Lumpini public park to Rama IV Road, the Hua Lamphong railway terminus, the Bo Bae Market and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, where they persuaded government officials to join their demonstrations. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) closed its building beside the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, but security guards have remained at the building and local police have inspected it at times. The Thai stock exchange system has operated as usual although the security measures have been implemented as a precaution, as reports said that anti-government protesters plan to rally at the SET building. Violent incidents also happened late Tuesday night, when gunmen fired at PDRC demonstrators at Hua Chang Bridge and Pathumwan Intersection at intervals for about 20 minutes around midnight, injuring two people. Besides, a bomb was hurled at the residence of the Democrat Party leader in Sukhumvit area, causing some damages, but no one was wounded. Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and his family's members were not home then. (TNA)