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Published on December 10, 2007

Academics and a democracy activist yesterday dismissed the proposal for a national unity government by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as a ploy to return to power.

Jaras Suwanmala, dean of Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Political Science, questioned Thaksin's sincerity and said "in reality, he is playing a game".

"While he is trying to appear as a man of compromise and seeking reconciliation, he is instigating his supporters in the northern and northeastern provinces to rise up to fight for him by supporting the People Power Party," Jaras said.

Sombat Thamrongthan-yawong, rector of the National Institute of Development Administration, said Thaksin had made the proposal be-cause he was not certain whether the PPP would win enough House seats to form a one-party government.

"He fears that other parties would not join the PPP-led coalition and that's why he made the offer of a national unity government," Sombat said.

Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general of the Campaign for Popular Democracy, said Thaksin was simply trying to take advantage of His Majes-ty's call for national unity by making the proposal and projecting his new political image.

"He made the proposal to reduce the obstacles on the path of his return to power," Suriyasai said.

He said Thaksin was still instigating his supporters to fight for him, so he did

not really support reconciliation.

Also yesterday, PPP leader Samak Sundaravej admitted that it was difficult to form a government of national unity.

"It's hard to be implemented. The country must be in a crisis first before such a government can be formed without any opposition," Samak said.

He said a reconciliation could be reached through charter amendments to allow the former 111 Thai Rak Thai executives to return to politics.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyarat-glin declined to comment on Thaksin's proposal.

He said the next government would depend on the outcome of the election.