Chairman of the Community Organisations Development Institute Paiboon Wattanasiritham, left; director of the newly established Mahidol University Research Centre for Peace-Building Gothom Arya, centre; and director of Thammasat University’s Peace Informat

The group included the chairman of the Community Organisations Development Institute, Paiboon Wattanasiritham; the director of Mahidol University's newly established Research Centre for Peace Building, Gothom Arya; the director of Thammasat University's Peace Information Centre, Chaiwat Satha-anand; and King Prajadhipok's Institute academic Wanchai Watanasak.

Their statement listed the following key points for ending the current political turmoil.

lThaksin should resign and consider retiring from politics as an additional step to end the divisiveness brought about by his leadership style;

lIn the lead-up to the snap election, a caretaker prime minister should be chosen from one of Thaksin's deputies appointed from the non-party quota;

lFollowing Thaksin's exit, the opposition parties should cancel the election boycott and rejoin the electoral process and the election date of April 2 should be rescheduled to remove any time constraints;

lPolitical reforms should involve the people and every sector of society; and

lAll political rallies should be peaceful.

Paiboon later urged Thaksin to take a break from his political career until the completion of constitutional amendments.

If he found it impossible not to contest the upcoming elections, then he should restrict himself to legislative duties and refrain from getting involved in the government, he said.

He also suggested that Thaksin should engage in a dialogue with his opponents.

With regard to the controversy surrounding the Shin Corp sell-off, Paiboon said an independent panel should be formed to look into the matter.

A truly independent investigation would set the record straight and Thaksin should not have any reservations about the facts being uncovered, he said.

Meanwhile, a former Constitution Court judge urged the prime minister to take leave of absence in order to resolve the political stand-off.

The only practical option was for Thaksin to take a career break and refrain from contesting the snap election, Suchit Bunbongkarn said.

Unless Thaksin removes himself from the scene, public anger over the Shin Corp sell-off would intensify and fuel the anti-Thaksin protests, he said.

He was speaking at a round-table discussion on the political turmoil organised by the Nation Multimedia Group, publisher of The Nation.

Another panelist, Thienchai Wongchai-suwan of the think-tank Vision Institute, suggested that Thaksin should open a public forum to answer every question posed by his opponents.

If he could not rebut the charges, then he should resign in front of the people, Thienchai said.

He added that the military should not intervene in politics.

"The anti-Thaksin campaign centres on the question of legitimacy and the military would make a double mistake by using an illegitimate means to usurp power from an illegitimate leader," he said, in reference to coup rumours.