Friday, February 18, 2011

The Thai government promises elections by June

Suthep Thaugsuban, the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, provides on Thursday that early elections will take place "before June". The consultation sought a hue and cry by the opposition for months, including the movement of red-shirted, must intervene between forty-five and sixty days after a dissolution of the lower house of Parliament.

Premier Abhisit, leader of the Democratic Party and in power since late 2008, was willing last week to hold elections in the first half under certain conditions, including lack of violence in the country and the adoption constitutional reform. He had previously also mentioned the need to adopt the budget mid-year, which is done since Wednesday.

"Once everything is ready, I will call elections as quickly as possible. I do not need to finish my term," he promised. Abhisit has surprised observers by its longevity, thanks to the unfailing support of the army and a fragile coalition certainly but never released. Abhisit can theoretically remain in office until late 2011, when the end of the current legislature.

But the "red shirts" who have occupied Bangkok for two months from March to May 2010, demanding early elections, claiming it was unlawful and the service of elites in the capital. At these events interspersed with violent clashes between demonstrators and police (over 90 dead, 1,900 injured), Abhisit had tried to resolve the crisis by proposing elections in November 2010.

The project was abandoned when the "red shirts" had refused to leave the center of the city. They were finally dispersed by an army assault. The issue of elections has since remained recurring. And the position of head of government has weakened in recent months. And the royalist and nationalist movement of the "yellow shirts" sworn enemy "red shirts", recently joined the resignation request of Abhisit, whom he blames management too soft of a territorial dispute with Cambodia.

The "yellow shirts" who camped outside the seat of government for nearly a month and several governments have pushed for five years, had contributed to the rise to power of Abhisit, but their relations have been fairly degraded. The government decided last week to invoke a special law to ban demonstrations in parts of the capital.

In vain. The "yellow" have not abandoned their camp and the "reds" are planning a new event Saturday.

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