Historian Nidhi Eoseewong has voiced support for a new election as a way to bring Thailand out of a political turmoil he believes is beyond negotiation.
The prominent intellectual made the comment on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s meeting between the Election Commission and political parties. The EC called the meeting to discuss a date for the fresh election, amid opposition by anti-government protesters who demand national reform must come first.
Although some parties were still divided on the election schedule, Mr Nidhi said a poll was the sole solution to the political conflict.
Talks between People’s Democratic Reform for Democracy (PDRC) secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban and caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra were unlikely to help settle their differences.
The conflict between anti-government groups led by the PDRC and the government and its red-shirt allies has reached a point where they are speaking "different languages", Mr Nidhi said.
On one side, he said, the PDRC views the Yingluck government as illegitimate for allegedly serving the interests of Ms Yingluck’s elder brother, fugitive former prime minister Thaksin. Government MPs had also rejected the Constitutional Court’s ruling on charter amendments on the Senate's composition, which deepened critics' distrust.
Meanwhile, the government camp sees the PDRC’s protest as a threat to national security and the economy, and was unhappy with its disruption of the Feb 2 election.
Mr Nidhi said many Thais were now somewhere between the two sides.
“I cannot say I side with Ms Yingluck 100% or with Mr Suthep 100%,” he said.
"Why does the country only look for what Ms Yingluck and Mr Suthep say during negotiations? Thais should ask what about their voice, and why aren't our interests being heard in the talks?” Mr Nidhi said.
An election will act as a channel, allowing those voices that are often ignored to be heard, he said.
Mr Nidhi said he does not believe anyone can hinder an election if it is backed by "every sector of the state" including the caretaker government, the courts, armed forces and business groups.
He also disagreed with calls to appoint a so-called neutral prime minister in the event that Ms Yingluck and her cabinet are ordered to leave their posts by the Constitutional Court.
The court is hearing a complaint that she illegally transferred National Security Council secretary-general Thawil Pliensri in 2011.
Permanent secretaries of all ministries can then act as a “caretaker government”, but a new poll must be held as soon as possible, Mr Nidhi said.
Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit yesterday said his party agrees with the proposals of 53 small parties to hold the poll on June 15. “If the majority of political parties want that, the Election Commission needs to follow it,” he said.
Mr Prompong criticised EC member Somchai Srisuttiyakorn’s suggestion that a new poll should be organised between July 20 and 27, saying the dates looked impractical.