ID :
17645
Mon, 09/01/2008 - 09:43
Auther :

Thai parliament convenes urgent meeting to solve political problem

BANGKOK, Aug 31 (TNA) -- The special joint session of Thailand's twin
houses of Parliament, the House of Representatives and the Senate, aimed at resolving the kingdom's current political impasse, has begun in earnest as opposition Democrat Party members called on the coalition government to be both sincere and resolute in solving the political unrest.

A total of 460 elected members of the Lower House and senators attended the urgent debate, presided over by Parliament president Chai Chidchob, also president of the House of Representatives.

Sathit Wongnongtoey, a member of the Democrat Party, urged the government
to be sincere in solving the political crisis by listening fully to the
opinions of members of both houses.

Mr. Sathit complimented the Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej by
acknowledging that his Sunday broadcast already aired a possible answer to
the unrest.

During his weekly TV and radio address Mr. Samak said that he would
neither resign from his post nor dissolve the House (to necessitate new
elections). The prime minister later responded that he was the one who had
moved on from a previously fixed position to open the urgent debate, and
that he hoped that members of parliament would "speak out their minds" on
finding ways to end the political impasse.

The urgent debate after which a no confidence vote would be cast began at
1.30 pm and would, according to Mr. Chai, continue for about 10 hours.

Latent political unrest is still in the air as thousands of protesters
loyal to the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) remain
entrenched at Government House and at the now well-known Makkawan Bridge,
overlooked by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (ESCAP)

The so-called democracy movement PAD is demanding the ouster of the entire
cabinet.

Rail transport in much of the country remain unavailable, while Phuket
International airport reopened on Sunday after Hat Yai airport reopened on
Saturday. (TNA)

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