Calling election would hand victory to PAD
MANOP THIP-OSOD & MONGKOL BANGPRAPA
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej shows pictures taken by police of weapons seized from anti-government demonstrators at the Makkhawan Rangsan bridge on Friday as he defends police use of force against unarmed protesters. |
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej yesterday dismissed a call by opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve the House to end the political crisis.
The call was made in a joint session of the House and Senate to ease tensions after clashes between police and People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) demonstrators on Friday, in which 45 people were injured.
The PAD leaders said they had no faith in the parliamentary process and accused the government of insincerity.
Mr Abhisit admitted that going to a general election would put the opposition Democrat party at a disadvantage.
However, he said the prime minister should take responsibility for the problem, and dissolving the House was one way to do so.
"Nobody enjoys elections. I believe it will hurt me more because you will come back [as prime minister]," Mr Abhisit said.
Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul shows pictures of protesters suffering the effects of tear gas outside Metropolitan Police headquarters on Friday. She claims police fired tear gas on the government's orders. Police deny using tear gas. |
But Mr Samak shrugged off the suggestion and vowed to continue running the country.
"I am not a stubborn person. Dissolving the House would be tantamount to a victory for those people who are trying to force me out," he said.
"I don't want to bring shame on Thailand. We have been a democracy for more than 70 years," he said.
"I volunteered to take on this job.
"I have no other ambition but to get Thailand on a footing with other countries. I am the one who is at the helm. People are watching me. I will make my own decision and will be responsible for it," he said.
Mr Samak's position was boosted on Saturday when the six coalition parties led by his People Power party (PPP) agreed to stay behind him.
PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila said the alliance decided to ignore the House debate.
It was a waste of time as Mr Samak had already confirmed he would not resign, Mr Suriyasai said.
The PAD did not hold any expectations that the debate would change anything, as the government just liked to use parliament to cover up its faults, he said.
Mr Suriyasai warned that PAD would step up it campaign to encourage more people to join its mission to topple the government.
PAD is using Government House as its stage to put pressure on Mr Samak to resign.
Earlier, Democrat MPs and senators called on Mr Samak to step down, blaming his "aggressive" behaviour for the PAD rally, but Mr Samak hit back by branding them allies of the protest group.
Mr Samak argued he had done nothing wrong.
He claimed the apparent use of tear gas by police to break up protesters outside the Metropolitan Police headquarters was in fact smoke from fire-extinguishers. The tear gas allegations were intended to frame police, he said.
"Your speech contained no advice, just accusations that it was all my fault. Such assertions might make people think that you are on the PAD's side," Mr Samak said.
Bangkok Senator Rosana Tositrakul called on Mr Samak to stop widening divisions and showed photos of police using force against demonstrators.
She argued the PAD leaders had 15 days to obey the Civil Court's order to leave the rally grounds, but police did not allow them this time and overstepped the mark by tearing down the alliance's stage at the Makkhawan Rangsan bridge.
"The government used the eviction notices to stir up violence.
"We do not want to see the situation blow up as in the case of the Oct 14 uprising. The government was wrong in ordering police to take action," she said. "Public gathering is a basic right."
Mr Samak said an inquiry will be held into claims that police used tear gas to counter PAD protesters. He believes a "third hand" was involved.
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