Somchai Wongsawat has only held the job for just over three weeksSunday, October 12, 2008
BANGKOK (AFP) — Thailand's embattled prime minister indicated on Saturday that he may resign in the wake of fierce anti-government protests earlier this week that left two people dead and hundreds injured.
Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who has held the job for little more than three weeks, said he was considering his position as protesters against him and his administration prepared for another mass rally.
Asked if he would resign or dissolve parliament, Somchai told reporters: "It's the issue that I must consider, what's best in both the short and long term. I'm not attached to the idea of being prime minister.
"I have to study the pros and cons of each scenario, such as dissolving the House or resignation," he said.
Somchai is struggling to govern Thailand amid political protests that show no signs of abating.
On Friday his spokesman insisted he would not quit, but senior military leaders -- influential in coup-prone Thailand -- have put pressure on the premier to solve the crisis quickly.
Supreme Commander General Songkitti Jaggabatara, the kingdom's highest-ranking military officer, said on Saturday he had consulted the heads of the army, navy and air force, which he oversees.
"We have held consultations between the three armed forces. I have told the government to solve the problem," Songkitti told reporters.
"As of now there is no coup, it's not time for the military to come out," said Songkitti, whose role is largely ceremonial.
Somchai insisted there was no rift between himself and the military. "I am still talking with them, there is no conflict," he said.
On Tuesday, police fired tear gas at demonstrators who had blockaded parliament to protest a government plan to amend the country's constitution, a move they say is aimed at helping ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The People's Alliance for Democracy claims the current government is running the country on behalf of Thaksin, who was toppled in a September 2006 coup following other PAD protests.
Thousands of the group's supporters marched to parliament late Monday where Somchai -- Thaksin's brother-in-law -- was delivering his first policy address the next day.
Bloody clashes that followed on Tuesday between the protesters and police left two dead and at least 478 people injured in the worst street violence in Bangkok in 16 years.
Somchai has since announced an independent investigation into the incident, but the PAD on Friday said it would hold further rallies on October 13.
On Saturday, the premier called on the PAD to reconsider the protest.
"Our country is in turmoil -- is this only the government's fault?" Somchai said.
"I want to ask protesters not to create more disturbance, I am ready to talk. They (protesters) are Thai so we speak the same language."
Thai society is bitterly divided between supporters of the populist government, mostly the rural poor, and the country's royalist elite who form the mainstay of support for the anti-government protesters.
Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who has held the job for little more than three weeks, said he was considering his position as protesters against him and his administration prepared for another mass rally.
Asked if he would resign or dissolve parliament, Somchai told reporters: "It's the issue that I must consider, what's best in both the short and long term. I'm not attached to the idea of being prime minister.
"I have to study the pros and cons of each scenario, such as dissolving the House or resignation," he said.
Somchai is struggling to govern Thailand amid political protests that show no signs of abating.
On Friday his spokesman insisted he would not quit, but senior military leaders -- influential in coup-prone Thailand -- have put pressure on the premier to solve the crisis quickly.
Supreme Commander General Songkitti Jaggabatara, the kingdom's highest-ranking military officer, said on Saturday he had consulted the heads of the army, navy and air force, which he oversees.
"We have held consultations between the three armed forces. I have told the government to solve the problem," Songkitti told reporters.
"As of now there is no coup, it's not time for the military to come out," said Songkitti, whose role is largely ceremonial.
Somchai insisted there was no rift between himself and the military. "I am still talking with them, there is no conflict," he said.
On Tuesday, police fired tear gas at demonstrators who had blockaded parliament to protest a government plan to amend the country's constitution, a move they say is aimed at helping ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The People's Alliance for Democracy claims the current government is running the country on behalf of Thaksin, who was toppled in a September 2006 coup following other PAD protests.
Thousands of the group's supporters marched to parliament late Monday where Somchai -- Thaksin's brother-in-law -- was delivering his first policy address the next day.
Bloody clashes that followed on Tuesday between the protesters and police left two dead and at least 478 people injured in the worst street violence in Bangkok in 16 years.
Somchai has since announced an independent investigation into the incident, but the PAD on Friday said it would hold further rallies on October 13.
On Saturday, the premier called on the PAD to reconsider the protest.
"Our country is in turmoil -- is this only the government's fault?" Somchai said.
"I want to ask protesters not to create more disturbance, I am ready to talk. They (protesters) are Thai so we speak the same language."
Thai society is bitterly divided between supporters of the populist government, mostly the rural poor, and the country's royalist elite who form the mainstay of support for the anti-government protesters.
4 comments:
at least Thailand have leaders who can admit their failures!
How much can one do in a time of three weeks? So don't tell me that he is already admitted his failure. Failure of what? Failure of not belonging to the PAD party? At least Hun Xen can lead.
The PAD, the Military, and Royalty are the same. They are the one who are not respect the will of the Thai people. As bad as it is, they are not disrespect Thai but all their neighbors countries, and repeatly sending their armed soldiers to Khmer, a soverignty country again and again. Recently, they fly their fighting jet around Preah Vihear, compromising the integrity of the temple due to loud noise potentialy damaging the structure.
Now what these three group in Thailand that consider themselve the elit, must respect the will of the people. The people can only take too much suffering. Why the communist were successful? Because of the oppression. Oppression lead to revolt, revolt lead to revolution.
Army adventure, ambition, aggression taking Khmer land again and again must be stop. Khmer will not let Thai again and again taking her land without a fight. Fighting jets are prone to air to surface missile, and Thai can not reproduce because Thai can not-incapable to making their own fighting jet, those jet came from other countries. So that mean that Thai doesn't have endless supplies of fighting jet. Money can buy, but Thai is not a supper economic power. So, full invasion of Khmer land will costly to Thai.
Respect your own people. Thai people have spoken. They voted, and elected the leader according to their will, conscientious. Stop robbing their right.
And stop the aggression of sending armed soldiers to Khmer land.
Look, we are a nation who lives in respect, though we lost so much land to the neighbors. It was the past. We can forget about it. It is a history. We used to be tied up just with a tiny string together in the line to walk to death without any resistance, as why? Because we were just lost all of human moral. We were blamed of siding with American, French, KGB or whatever, and ....live in starvation and so on and one.
Not anymore, we have to wake up to defend what we have and don't let them even encroach a cm of our border land.
I am ready to join the army to fight this chor siam if there is war coming. We cannot just sit and let them kill us this way.
Apsara Angkor
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