Thai armed forces chief backs former Democrat PM's idea on national solution

BANGKOK, April 28 (TNA) - Thailand's Supreme Commander General Tanasak Patimapragorn has expressed his support for Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva in discussing a national solution with several parties. Abhisit met General Tanasak at the Royal Thai Armed Forces headquarters on the outskirts of Bangkok on Monday morning to discuss a solution to the ongoing domestic political deadlock. The Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs issued a statement after the meeting that both shared concerns over the prolonged domestic political strife and saw necessity for all parties to join forces to solve the political deadlock. According to the statement, the supreme commander supports Abhisit's intention to propose legal and constitutional solutions and views that the ongoing political strife should be solved by politicians. Besides, the supreme commander insisted that the Royal Thai Armed Forces adhere to their duties, responsibilities and the Constitution for public and national interests. Abhisit told journalists, meanwhile, that, during the meeting, the Royal Thai Armed Forces chief and he were worried over the national situation and feared that the society could experience violent conflicts and he could not predict how they would be defused. Abhisit revealed that he explained choices of the society and his ideas, including his planned meetings with the Election Commission of Thailand (EC) on April 29 and other groups thereafter to discuss ways out to the political impasse, while the supreme commander supports his move and wants all parties to jointly remedy the national situation and to solve domestic political problems which, he views, should be solved by politicians. (TNA)