Thai PM Refuses to Dissolve Parliament
    2010-03-15 12:38:34     Xinhua      Web Editor: Zhang Xu
 

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Monday morning said in a live TV address that there will not be a House dissolution by noon as the anti-government movement red-shirts demanded on Sunday.

He said the government will not meet the ultimatum and dissolve the parliament by Monday noon. And the decision was made out of consensus of all the coalition parties, said the prime minister.

Abhisit's remarks were made after the red-shirts leader read an ultimatum on midday Sunday, demanding the government to dissolve the parliament within 24 hours or they will step up pressure during their rally in Bangkok.

This government is formed under the parliamentary process and based on a democracy system, Abhisit said, adding a House dissolution have to listen to other Thai people's opinion apart from the red-shirted people.

"I would like to give you (Thai people) the confidence," he said, adding that the government will work further to solve the problems for the people.

The security forces should be patient when dealing with protesters and try to avoid any violence, Abhisit said.

He also reminded the red-shirts leaders to be careful with the wording of their political speech at the stage since it might provoke clashes.

The red-shirts movement is staging a mass rally to topple the Abhisit administration, and tens of thousands of red-clad supporters from across the country had swarmed to the capital city since Friday.

In a press conference held on Sunday afternoon, Natthawut Saikua, a red-shirts leader said that the protesters would move to rally outside the 11th Infantry Regiment where a key security command is located, if the prime minister does not dissolve the House by 9 a.m. Monday.

The first group of red-shirted protestors riding motorcycles arrived the 11th Infantry Regiment at 10:00 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) Monday, as more red-shirts are expected to follow them and rally at the military camp where the Peace-keeping Operation Command is located and the prime minister is temporarily dwelled during a massive rally starting from Friday.

The military camp is home to the government's Peace-keeping Operation Command that is in charge of the implementation of Internal Security Act (ISA) during and after the red-shirts rally as well as the safe house for Abhisit and his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban.

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