Think about the country : military top brass

"Since the promulgation of the 2006 Constitution, two elected governments under two prime ministers have come to power but both failed to overcome the political predicament," he said, suggesting that a new alliance be formed to run the country. He also urged political parties to put the country before their partisan interests, reminding all sides that the Kingdom had plunged so deep in a crisis that its governments had no achievements to boast of.

Normally, a government submits its performance report at the end of the House session, but this year there was no such report, he said.

However, he went on to say that the military had no intention to step in because it believed that all political problems should be resolved by political means.

He said he wanted to see a resumption of normalcy and politicians doing their jobs properly. He refused to voice support for any particular leader and said that he was in no position to endorse or comment if Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva took over as prime minister.

Meanwhile, retired supreme commander Gen Boonsrang Niampradit said yesterday that the military should adhere to its stance of neutrality because any interference would only complicate matters.

"When I was supreme commander, I always tried to keep my officers out of politics," he said.

He added that he did not have any specific advice for the incumbent commanders, including Army chief Gen Anupong Paochinda, except to remind them that they were duty-bound to remain politically neutral.

He was responding to a question about Anupong's alleged involvement in forging a new Democrat-led coalition. He told the reporters to pose the question to Anupong directly and voiced scepticism that the Army chief had tilted the political balance in favour of the Democrats.

With regards to the formation of a new government, he said politicians should think about what is best for the country instead of playing power games.

Speaking at a seminar held to discuss the political system yesterday, Boonsrang said in 1974 constitutional scholar Amorn Chandarasomboon had named the three charter provisions that were the root cause of all political maladies. He said the provisions that allow MPs to have party affiliations, permit party control over lawmakers and allocate a House seat for the prime minister only bring about parliamentary dictatorship and a tyranny by majority, he said.

He added that Thailand was the only democracy that had such provisions and that political hurdles would remain so long as these flaws are not rectified.