House, Senate meet together Sunday to face Thai political turmoil

BANGKOK, Aug 30 (TNA) -- The Thai Parliament's Speaker of the Senate, Prasopsuk Boondej, on Saturday said that members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate would meet together to give urgent attention to resolving the country's political crisis as demonstrators loyal to the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) continue to occupy the country's seat of government.

Speaking to journalists after presiding ata seminar in Hua Hin, Mr.
Prasopsuk said that members of both houses would meeting at Parliament
beginning at 1.30 pm Sunday afternoon.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is man of reason, the speaker said,
adding that he personally believed that a solution to the current
political crisis could be found within democratic procedures.

He declined to say whether a dissolution of the lower House would be the
best way to end the political turmoil whereby PAD protesters are taking
the control of the Government House, two southern airports are closed and
rail services across the country have been suspended for the second day.

Meanwhile, opposition Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said it
would be difficult to end the crisis by appointing an outsider as prime
minister heading an interim national government as both the government and
the protesters may not accept such a proposal.

Mr. Abhisit said Sunday's joint meeting between the two houses may "unlock
this problem" and the Senate Speaker also wanted the legislature to play
the role in solving the crisis.