Pattaya Daily News

Published : January 22, 2010 :: 11:01:52 [ 559 views ]

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva speaking to the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand (FCCT) stated; the nation would be better suited if it stopped relying on the widely revered king in times of difficulty.

Bangkok, the 21^st of January 2010 [PDN]: Speaking to the FCCT, Abhisit stated that Thailand as a nation has struggled to maintain control and solve problems without the “critical, crucial and vital” interjection by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.  

Abhisit referenced the intervention of His Majesty in 1992 when he admonished the then-PM and a protest leader to end the bloody clashes in Bangkok. More recently Abhisit mentioned the monarch’s recent calls for unity from the Thai people, which have almost certainly prevented the country from collapsing.

The PM explained: “Now what I’m saying is that it would be better if we can all resolve these issues without having to rely on His Majesty’s interventions, even though they are always within the framework of the constitution. It will take time,”

Abhisit has called for Thailand as a nation to come together and resolve the current political turmoil without the need for intervention by the King, who needs time to recover from his recent health issues.

Matters surrounding King Bhumibol, the world’s longest reigning monarch, are a sensitive topic as the king — regarded as the only stabilising force in a politically turbulent country — has been in hospital since September 2009.

Rights activists have criticised a sharp rise in the number of accusations of insulting the monarchy, punishable by up to 15 years in jail under a tough “lese majeste” law designed to protect the royal family.

PM Abhisit has explained that a new advisory board was being developed that he hoped would provide clarity to the law. “I hope in not too long, perhaps a few months’ time, there will be clear guidance and a lot of cases that are sitting with the police and attorney general will be cleared,” he said.

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Type : Thailand News
Story : John Weston
Photo : Internet

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