Support increases for House dissolution
Published: 12/04/2010
Bangkok Post
The red shirts triumphantly seized armoured cars abandoned by the retreating army at the Democracy Monument and at Thaicom headquarters again, as the government mulled offering an election in October - three months sooner than its most recent proposal.
Civic groups and leading scholars have added their voices to calls for the red shirt leaders and the government to renew peace talks following Saturday night's bloody clash at Khok Wua intersection.
A group calling itself the 303 University Lecturers suggested yesterday the two sides could start by limiting their discussion to immediate issues to reduce tensions that might lead to further violence.
"The government may ask the UDD to limit its rally to Phan Fa Bridge, while the UDD may ask the government to lift the emergency decree," the group said in its declaration. Both sides would benefit by focusing on these immediate issues rather than those that are more difficult to solve, the group said.
The Non-Governmental Organisation Coordination Committee said the emergency decree should be lifted and it wanted to see the government adopt a softer approach in dealing with the red shirt protesters.
The government declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces last week after a group of red shirt demonstrators broke into parliament, disrupting a meeting and forcing lawmakers to flee for safety.
The decree, which bans public political gatherings and the spread of disinformation, drew opposition from peace groups, who said it would only further anger protesters.
The 303 University Lecturers called on the government and protesters to end all hostile activities "to give the country a rest and allow the wounds to heal".
This would give both sides a chance to hold fresh talks.
The group, which earlier said it disagreed with the UDD's demand for a dissolution of the House, said it was ready to work with the Santi Prachatham Network, which proposed a compromise whereby the government would dissolve the House within three months.
The Santi Prachatham Network is a coalition of 155 scholars and social advocates. The network includes leading historians and scholars such as Charnvit Kasetsiri and Nidhi Eowseewong.
The network yesterday echoed the 303 University Lecturers' call for negotiations in a six-point declaration, which also suggests a way out of the political stand-off for both sides.
"Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva must take responsibility for the decision to disperse the rally by apologising to the protesters," the group said. The UDD leaders must stop inciting anger among their members for their own safety, it said.
The Santi Prachatham Network disagreed with the state's attempt to retake the area near Phan Fa Bridge on Saturday, saying the UDD had the right to gather in public.
The group called the government's claim that it had to disperse demonstrators from the area to solve the traffic problem "a feeble excuse".
Another civic group, made up of former senators, scholars, students and others, also said it supported a joint effort to solve the conflict.
The group went beyond the debate over the dissolution of the House and asked both sides to focus on solving corruption and the poor distribution of resources in Thailand, which it said are at the bottom of political conflicts in recent years.
"Both sides must stop thinking about winning and join in on a process to find a way out for our society," the group said.
Meanwhile, Phra Paisan Visalo, a renowned monk activist, called on the government and the UDD to stick to peaceful measures to solve their conflict.
A group calling itself the 303 University Lecturers suggested yesterday the two sides could start by limiting their discussion to immediate issues to reduce tensions that might lead to further violence.
"The government may ask the UDD to limit its rally to Phan Fa Bridge, while the UDD may ask the government to lift the emergency decree," the group said in its declaration. Both sides would benefit by focusing on these immediate issues rather than those that are more difficult to solve, the group said.
The Non-Governmental Organisation Coordination Committee said the emergency decree should be lifted and it wanted to see the government adopt a softer approach in dealing with the red shirt protesters.
The government declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces last week after a group of red shirt demonstrators broke into parliament, disrupting a meeting and forcing lawmakers to flee for safety.
The decree, which bans public political gatherings and the spread of disinformation, drew opposition from peace groups, who said it would only further anger protesters.
The 303 University Lecturers called on the government and protesters to end all hostile activities "to give the country a rest and allow the wounds to heal".
This would give both sides a chance to hold fresh talks.
The group, which earlier said it disagreed with the UDD's demand for a dissolution of the House, said it was ready to work with the Santi Prachatham Network, which proposed a compromise whereby the government would dissolve the House within three months.
The Santi Prachatham Network is a coalition of 155 scholars and social advocates. The network includes leading historians and scholars such as Charnvit Kasetsiri and Nidhi Eowseewong.
The network yesterday echoed the 303 University Lecturers' call for negotiations in a six-point declaration, which also suggests a way out of the political stand-off for both sides.
"Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva must take responsibility for the decision to disperse the rally by apologising to the protesters," the group said. The UDD leaders must stop inciting anger among their members for their own safety, it said.
The Santi Prachatham Network disagreed with the state's attempt to retake the area near Phan Fa Bridge on Saturday, saying the UDD had the right to gather in public.
The group called the government's claim that it had to disperse demonstrators from the area to solve the traffic problem "a feeble excuse".
Another civic group, made up of former senators, scholars, students and others, also said it supported a joint effort to solve the conflict.
The group went beyond the debate over the dissolution of the House and asked both sides to focus on solving corruption and the poor distribution of resources in Thailand, which it said are at the bottom of political conflicts in recent years.
"Both sides must stop thinking about winning and join in on a process to find a way out for our society," the group said.
Meanwhile, Phra Paisan Visalo, a renowned monk activist, called on the government and the UDD to stick to peaceful measures to solve their conflict.
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