Thai govt rules out return to ante-coup playing field for talks with Thaksin

BANGKOK, Dec 21 (TNA) – The government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has rejected proposals by the Thailand’s opposition Puea Thai Party to reinstate the country’s 1997 constitution and return frozen assets to ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, but there is a possibility of a house dissolution to pave the way for new elections, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Monday.

Mr Suthep said the preconditions that Mr Thaksin must not be prosecuted and all his frozen funds must be returned are irrational and not according to law.  However, it may be possible to dissolve the House of Representatives and organise a general election.

The government urges Mr Thaksin to return to Thailand and to serve his jail term, Mr Suthep said.

The demands of the opposition party are not reasonable and do not comply with the law but aim only to return Mr Thaksin to power and unfreeze his assets, he said.

The ex-premier was sentenced in absentia for two years in a conflict of interest case in connection with his wife’s purchase of a plot of land.

Mr Suthep’s comments followed the proposal of former premier Surayud Chulanont during a radio interview on Saturday that he is willing to mediate with Mr Thaksin to end the nation’s conflict.

Mr Thaksin’s former legal adviser Noppadon Pattama said that Gen Surayud can contact him or the ex-premier if he will hold the talks, but he emphasized the talks are based on the premise that everything should be returned to as it was before the 19 September 2006 coup and that the 1997 Constitution should also be reinstated.

Speaking of recent moves by the anti-government ‘Red Shirt’ United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and the Puea Thai opposition party, Mr Suthep said that all the movement—including the appearance of a classified document from Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allegations of an allegedly improper Bt258 million donation of the Democrat Party and a call for 100 Puea Thai MPs to resign are aimed to incite Thaksin supporters to topple or destabilise the Abhisit government.

Rejecting all the demands, Mr Suthep said the government will brace to solve the country’s problems and do its best to maintain peace under the law. (TNA)