HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
PAD prepares for Govt House rally
Leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) meet today to plan their strategy for the mass protest outside Government House tomorrow morning as the Cabinet holds its weekly meeting.
The protesters are expected to demand that caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra step down. Thaksin is on the campaign trail in the provinces and will chair the meeting via videoconference from Buri Ram.
Provincial tours Continuing their tour to explain the Democrat Party's boycott of the April 2 election, leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and other key party figures will address residents of northeastern and southern provinces from Wednesday to Friday. Thaksin is scheduled to visit Nakhon Si Thammarat on Friday, his first visit to the South since he dissolved the House of Representatives last month. Wait to see whether he gets a warm welcome or the cold shoulder from southerners.
Poll concerns Suwaroj Palang of the Democrat Party will today will petition the Election Commission (EC) to investigate the Thai Rak Thai Party for allegedly hiring candidates of small parties to contest the April 2 election. Meanwhile, Thai Rak Thai's legal experts will approach the EC this week over the problem created by Premsak Phiayura 's resignation from the party, which reduced the number of its party-list MP candidates from 100 to 99. They fear the new House may not attain the full complement of 500 MPs needed to select the new prime minister.
Progress on NCCC After hearing all the candidates' visions last week, the selection committee for the National Counter Corruption Commission (NCCC) is to shortlist 18 names, which it will forward to the Senate. The Senate will select the final nine nominees next month.
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