Many feel Kasit should resign : poll

Most respondents to an Abac Poll - 60 per cent - said Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya should resign because police named him a terrorist suspect involved in the seizure of Suvarnabhumi Airport in December, the firm said when releasing its survey yesterday.

The opinion poll was conducted across the country among 1,283 respondents in 17 selected provinces, including Bangkok.

Just over half (54 per cent) of those demanding Kasit stand down said he should tender his resignation before the Asean Ministerial Meeting in Phuket. The remainder said he should step down after the meeting.

One in two said they favoured non-aligned politics, while one in three said they were supporters of the government. Less than one in 10 said they embraced the opposition.

The opposition, meanwhile, plans to raise pressure on the foreign minister to step down.

Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said he would file a petition today with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva calling for Kasit to be removed. He said he would hand a similar written request to Chuan Leekpai, the Democrat Party's chief adviser.

The anti-government red shirts would hold a protest this morning to press for Kasit to stand down, Chinnawat Habunpad, one of their leaders, said.

Defence lawyer Suwat Apaisak said 36 suspects from the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who police want for question about the seizure of Bangkok's airports, would meet today to map out their legal strategy.

"Following the meeting, the defence will adopt a clear stand on how to fight back," Suwat said, hinting at a counter lawsuit against trumped-up charges of international terrorism.

Defence permanent secretary General Apichart Penkitti said he hoped the investigators would give due consideration to the evidence to ensure fairness when classifying the PAD-led airport seizures as an act of international terrorism.

Apichart said the case would proceed under the rule of law, hence it should not have political implications.

Former junta secretary-general, Somjet Boonthanom said he disagreed with the legal interpretation of the terrorist charge.

The spirit of the law on international terrorism was to deal with incidents designed to bring about the country's destruction. The PAD did not aim to destroy Thailand, although its activities might have spiralled out of control, he said.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said he saw no justification in the demands for Kasit to resign.

Kasit had not been convicted and his involvement in alleged wrongdoing had taken place before he assumed office, Witthaya said.

The opposition Pheu Thai Party and government critics were trying to fault Kasit while supporting the return of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, a convicted felon fleeing a two-year jail term.

He said he was confident Kasit would fight to clear his name and not flee abroad.

Democrat Party MP Theptai Senapong said he sensed Kasit still enjoyed the public trust regardless of the legal wrangling.

Under one of the nine ethical rules laid down by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, a Cabinet member should quit if litigation reached the trial stage - but in Kasit's case, this seemed a far-fetched scenario, he said.

He said the opinion survey on the fate of Kasit should be heeded - although he believed the poll was conducted before the public had fully accessed all pertinent information.

He added that Kasit was not even a PAD co-leader, and his involvement was confined to being invited to speak to protesters.