Thailand's Caretaker PM offers talks with all parties concerned

SARABURI, THAILAND, February 24 (TNA) - Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has reiterated that she is ready to discuss a national way out with all parties. Yingluck made the remarks during her visit to local community product center in Saraburi Province in the central region on Monday. Yingluck stressed that she is ready for such discussions and insisted that she would perform her duties at her best until the last minute of her tenure. In response to anti-government protest leaders’ blame that her caretaker government caused violent incidents at their demonstration venues, Yingluck said the violent attacks were shocking and she did not want them to recur and she ordered police to arrest culprits, urging all parties to stop violent movements. Besides, Yingluck expressed her concerns over a recent ruling of Bangkok's Civil Court on the imposition of the emergency decree, which has obstructed the work of authorities. Last week, the Civil Court prohibited the caretaker government from citing the emergency decree as a reason to disperse demonstrators. The caretaker prime minister also called for a negotiation, stressing that a negotiation should happen as soon as possible and it should help lead to a suitable solution. Asked for her comments in response to anti-government protesters’ pressure on her and her Shinawatra family's businesses, the caretaker prime minister insisted that she remains in office to protect democracy, pointing out if she resignd, there would be a vacuum and an opportunity for the eradication of the Constitution and non-democratic movements. (TNA)