Browse > Home / ASIA / Thai cabinet to hold referendum to break political deadlock

Thai cabinet to hold referendum to break political deadlock

September 4, 2008

BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) — Thailand’s cabinet on Thursday agreed to hold a referendum to try and break a political deadlock that has paralyzed the government through daily street protests.

Thai prime minister Samak Sundaravej vowed to stay in office to "protect democracy."

State media said the referendum is meant to determine whether embattled Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej should stay in office.

But the government’s deputy spokesman told CNN that the cabinet has not agreed on the wording of the referendum or when it will take place.

The spokesman said officials will begin taking legal steps toward the referendum on Monday.

Sondhi Limthongku, who heads the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) that is seeking to oust Samak, said the cabinet decision was a delaying tactic on the part of the government.

But, he said, the PAD will agree in principle to a referendum based on its wording and whether it is overseen by a non-partisan third party.

The cabinet decision came hours after Samak told the public in a radio address that he will not resign or dissolve parliament.

Samak has not been able to enter his offices since thousands of protesters stormed the Government House, the government’s headquarters, on August 26 and have been camping out there ever since.

In his Thursday radio address, Samak said they didn’t have the right to break in and lay siege to the compound.

And he asked anyone thinking of joining the anti-government protests whether it was right to drive out an administration that was democratically elected, the Thai News Agency said.

The protesters booed and jeered Samak’s address.

On Tuesday, Samak gave no indication that he intends to forcibly stop the protests that have left one person dead.

“Now we are waiting,” Samak said in an exclusive interview with CNN. “I think by now that I have done everything that a government can do to be soft and gentle.”

But when asked if now is the time for the government to harden its stance, Samak said, “No.”

The protesters are demanding the Thai prime minister step down, accusing him of being a proxy for his ousted predecessor, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Samak strongly denied that Thaksin was “still pulling the strings.”

“You don’t use this word to me,” he told CNN’s Dan Rivers on Tuesday. “This is an insult to me.” 

Samak spoke to CNN hours after he declared a state of emergency in the capital city of Bangkok in response to overnight clashes between his supporters and anti-government demonstrators that wounded 40 and left one person dead.

The state of emergency order — which overrides the country’s constitution and allows the army to be in charge of enforcing laws — forbids public gatherings of more than five people and bans the media from publishing or broadcasting images that would panic the public.

Written by Hisham · Filed Under ASIA 

Comments

Got something to say?

You must be logged in to post a comment.