PAD rejects Chavalit as mediator

Chavalit has offered to talk with PAD coleader Chamlong Srimuang in a bid to reconcile the red and the yellow shirts. But Chamlong said yesterday he was too busy to schedule a meeting.

"The most important reason is, however, many from Chavalit's party have continued to lambaste Pa (chief royal adviser General Prem Tinsulanonda)," Chamlong said, explaining why he deems it inappropriate to meet Chavalit at this juncture.

He said as a former secretary general to Prem, he could not talk to Chavalit amid the verbal spat, hinting at the lack of conducive climate for reconciliation.

He said his last private meeting with Chavalit took place a day before the latter adopted the Pheu Thai banner. The meeting took place between two old acquantainces without any official capacity, he added.

Aside of talking about old times when the they crossed path in their military and political career, Chavalit raised two talking points, he said.

First, Chavalit tried to persuate him to resume his political activities in a political party, he said. Second the two exchanged views on organic fertiliser, a nonpolitical topic.

In regard to his partisan interest, he said he told Chavalit that his priority was about social and charitable works and that he was already an active supporter of the New Politics Party on a nonmember basis.