Thai govt says talks can resume only after Red Shirts end protest

BANGKOK, May 18 (TNA) – The government will return to negotiations only after the anti-government protesters end their six-week long protest at Ratchaprasong, Prime Minister’s Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey said on Tuesday.

Mr Sathit said in a nationally televised news conference that negotiation is the method that the government has always applied, but the government’s
proposed reconciliation plan was earlier rejected by the Red Shirts and it is clear that their decision was intervened in “by someone from overseas”.

The government has accused Thaksin, who lives in self-exile abroad to avoid a two-year jail term for violating conflict of interest law, of derailing reconciliation efforts and funding the Reds’ violent campaign.

However, Mr Sathit said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva thanked Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej for his offer to mediate between the government and the anti-government
Red Shirts to end the political crisis.

The minister’s comments came in response to an offer made earlier in the day by Red Shirt protest leader Natthawut Saikua, who said the Reds would accept an offer by a group of Senaters to mediate talks to end five days of deadly clashes with troops which have left 38 dead and reduced parts of Bangkok to battle zones, with black smoke billowing from piles of tyres set ablaze by demonstrators.

The prime minister talked to the senate speaker by telephone thanking him for his goodwill gesture but said the situation has escalated and has turned violent by some groups of
people and terrorists who were armed with heavy weapons and carried out attacks against the government, officials working in the local areas and innocent people.

Their action caused widespread serious impacts, so the government will resume talks only after the Red Shirts end the protest.

“The prime minister asked the senate speaker to discuss with the protest leaders how to stop people who used heavy weapons in their attacks on officials,” Mr Sathit said.

The minister stated that the government and the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) are determined to restore peace to society and will apply the best
approach to reduce losses.

However, the current situation is critical, escalating and having quite serious impacts, he said, adding that the only way to resolve the problem is that the protesters must end their
protest to prevent terrorists from exploiting the public to attack the authorities, now causing ongoing clashes. (TNA)