Thailand

PM says no new election after army chief's call

Article published on the 2008-11-26 Latest update 2008-11-26 15:34 TU

Anti-government protesters gather at Suvarnabhumi Airport
(Photo: Reuters)

Thailand's Prime Minister has rejected a call by its army chief to call a fresh electioin. As anti-government protesters paralyse Bangkok's international airport, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat returned to the country Wednesday. Earlier  General Anupong Paojinda had declared that a new poll was the way to resolve the long-running political crisis. Opposition MPs backed the call.

Somchai returned to Thailand shortly after the general's statement, arriving at the airport in the northern city of Chiang Mai. He said he would not call a new poll.

"This is not a coup," General Anupong declared earlier Wednesday, adding that the army seizing power would solve the problems "once and for all" but would have "a lot of consequences, including the international reaction".

The general also told People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrators to end their occupation of Suvarnabhumi airport, which has stranded thousands of passengers.

The opposition Democrat Party has distanced itself from the PAD's protests but supports the call for a fresh election.

Democrat MP Sirichok Sopha points out that the call officially came from a committee of soldiers and businesspeople set up by the government.

"The situation in Thailand is escalating and we are getting people clashing, so I suppose that the advice by the committee itself is sound," he told RFI. "I think it’s the best solution for the Prime Minister to dissolve parliament, give power back to the people."

Somchai's People's Power Party, which the PAD claims is a front for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinwattra, was elected in an election which followed the 2006 coup that deposed Thaksin.

Sirichok concedes that it might be re-elected in a new poll.

"Doesn’t matter, but at least people can decide," he says. "So the situation would return to normal and anti-government protesters would go back and see what the people would decide. Because right now we are at a stalemate and we don’t know what’s going tomorrow or the next day."  

PAD supporters took over the airport, which hosts 14.5 million tourists each year, on Tuesday, smashing doors with iron bars and occupying the concourses. They have declared that they will not leave until the Prime Minister resigns.

Earlier Tuesday some protesters fired on government supporters, leaving 11 injured, one critically, while grenade attacks took place in the city.