Anupong warns no attacks on monarchy

"The monarchy is a revered institution," he said, urging all sides to neither drag the Royal Family into the political muddle nor insult the royal honour.

Meanwhile, former premier Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said hopes for an end to the present political crisis lay in the institutions of the monarchy, the military and the government.

Chavalit, who briefly joined the present Cabinet before abruptly resigning after the deadly clashes between police and anti-government protesters earlier this month, said the government seemed to be in a self-contradictory role and without the tools to solve the crisis.

Anupong said the Internal Security Operations Command and all Army units were under strict instructions to monitor and report any suspicious activities that might tarnish the monarchy.

In one case, the military alerted police to take action against a community radio station in Bangkok on the grounds it was broadcasting offensive comments about the monarchy, he said.

The Army chief urged police to step up the crackdown on distributors of offensive leaflets.

Regarding the political conflict, he said although the majority of the people wanted reconciliation, the two opposing camps continued to dominate the political scene and fuel social division.

The soldiers are obligated to ensure peace and prevent opposing crowds from clashing, but the situation must be resolved by political means, he said.

He refused to answer a direct question on the working relations between him and the prime minister.

Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda called on all sides to exercise tolerance and restraint, in order to avoid another outbreak of violence.

Should the opposing camps be willing to sacrifice for the greater good of society, the country can overcome the political turmoil, he said.

He shrugged off concerns the political rift might dampen two planned royal ceremonies - the funeral of the late HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana and His Majesty the King's birthday - saying Thai citizens knew how to draw the line between their political differences and their duty to the monarchy.

Meanwhile, social thinker Prawase Wasi yesterday made four recommendations to deal with the present political turmoil, which he said many people now feared would lead to violent confrontation and even civil war.

lBoth sides should desist from any moves that could lead to violence.

lHe called for a change in attitude. Prawase said that of late, many Thais had been using a Western way of thinking, which was extreme and dichotomic.

"Thai society must take this opportunity and change to Buddhist thinking, which is non-static and treats differences as ordinary. We should not think those who think differently from us are our enemies. There's good and bad in everything. Nothing is purely good or bad."

lThose engaged in the present conflict must transform their struggle from a destructive to a creative and non-violent one.

lPerfecting democracy requires decentralisation of power and upholding human dignity. Less attention should be paid to the charter, Prawase said.

"Democracy is larger than the Constitution, but people mistake the charter as the basis for democracy. If one is focused on the charter [amendment] alone, then it could lead to bloodshed, because people will ask for whom and by whom the charter is written."

Chavalit attributed the current crisis as stemming from the 1997 charter, in which the prime minister was required to come from the ranks of elected MPs. "This led to a power struggle among politicians," he said, adding that this was also why ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra often claimed he "was elected by the people".

Chavalit said the Cabinet quota for various coalition parties should also be abandoned to solve the crisis and that a national unity government was needed at the moment.