Dissolve the House and let voters decide, Suchinda says
Former prime minister General Suchinda Kraprayoon has a word of advice for the current head of government. He said the best option for Thaksin Shinawatra to get off the current political turmoil was to dissolve the House and pave the way for a snap election.
“The House dissolution will be the best way out of the crisis facing Thaksin,” said Suchinda, who was forced to resign as prime minister after security forces shot down several anti-Suchinda protesters in May 1992.If Thaksin was still popular among voters, his party would win the election and return to power again, Suchinda said. In the meantime, Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont refused to comment on the growing tension over the public uproar on Thaksin. He said he as a privy councillor he should not talked about politics as it was inappropriate. Despite nation-wide appeals for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s resignation, General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh yesterday praised him as good premier who should stay on in the office. “Thaksin doesn’t need to quit,” said Chavalit, who is Thaksin’s advisor. “The prime minister has performed well.” He maintained that no one should pressure Thaksin, they ought to wait for the premier to make a decision himself, he said. Chavalit downplayed a widespread concern that the rally on Sunday would turn violent after Chamlong Srimuang vowed to lead his “Dharma Army” to join the anti-Thaksin alliance. He believed the demonstrators would return home when they had enough of the rally. Chavalit quit as the prime minister amid the 1997 economic crisis, after middle-class workers staged a protest for his resignation. Meanwhile, 54 women’s organisations yesterday said they would join the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) at this weekend’s rally in Sanam Luang. Ticha na Nakorn, a co-ordinator for Women and the Constitution, said her group believed that Thaksin had lost his legitimacy to run the country. Therefore, the group will add their voice to PAD’s demand for the resignation of the prime minister, she said.
|
