AEKARACH SATTABURUTH
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej insisted yesterday a referendum would be the best alternative to tackle the political stand-off despite a chorus of warnings that it would further divide the country.
He said the proposed referendum was the final answer as other mechanisms including imposition of a state of emergency had failed.
''The government cannot deal with it. Parliament cannot deal with it. A soft approach through the judiciary does not work. I declared a state of emergency and brought the military in, but that did not work either,'' he said.
Mr Samak denied the referendum would worsen the social divide.
''It [the referendum] is good in that when the result comes out, it gives a clear idea who is on which side.
''When you go to vote, you choose sides, don't you? The People Power party or the Democrat party,'' he said.
Mr Samak said he would not bow to the People's Alliance for Democracy's demand for him to step down and the referendum would be the final judge.
''It's not that they [PAD] are so important that we have to have a referendum. It's because they have pushed the country into this corner,'' he said.
Mr Samak's comments came as the Senate yesterday completed its first reading of the public referendum bill and appointed a 29-member panel to scrutinise the bill.
The upper house voted 119-5 to accept the bill for a review after one and a half hours of debate.
One senator abstained.
The senate scrutiny came just a day after the cabinet resolved to hold a referendum to end the political turmoil.
Before the vote was cast, several senators urged careful consideration of the draft legislation which the government hopes will help end the stand-off.
Appointed Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn said the bill was extensively altered by the House of Representatives and senators must review it carefully.
His prime concerns were the reasons for holding a referendum and the criteria for deciding whether the topic for the referendum is approved or rejected.
Discuss
Add this link to...
Tell a friend
Bury
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej insisted yesterday a referendum would be the best alternative to tackle the political stand-off despite a chorus of warnings that it would further divide the country.
He said the proposed referendum was the final answer as other mechanisms including imposition of a state of emergency had failed.
''The government cannot deal with it. Parliament cannot deal with it. A soft approach through the judiciary does not work. I declared a state of emergency and brought the military in, but that did not work either,'' he said.
Mr Samak denied the referendum would worsen the social divide.
''It [the referendum] is good in that when the result comes out, it gives a clear idea who is on which side.
''When you go to vote, you choose sides, don't you? The People Power party or the Democrat party,'' he said.
Mr Samak said he would not bow to the People's Alliance for Democracy's demand for him to step down and the referendum would be the final judge.
''It's not that they [PAD] are so important that we have to have a referendum. It's because they have pushed the country into this corner,'' he said.
Mr Samak's comments came as the Senate yesterday completed its first reading of the public referendum bill and appointed a 29-member panel to scrutinise the bill.
The upper house voted 119-5 to accept the bill for a review after one and a half hours of debate.
One senator abstained.
The senate scrutiny came just a day after the cabinet resolved to hold a referendum to end the political turmoil.
Before the vote was cast, several senators urged careful consideration of the draft legislation which the government hopes will help end the stand-off.
Appointed Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn said the bill was extensively altered by the House of Representatives and senators must review it carefully.
His prime concerns were the reasons for holding a referendum and the criteria for deciding whether the topic for the referendum is approved or rejected.
Discuss
Add this link to...
Tell a friend
Bury
ThailandBuzz is a web application that allows you to submit an article that will be reviewed by all and will be promoted, based on popularity, to the main page
abhisit vejjajiva
anupong paojinda
ayutthaya
bangkok
bangkok governor
bank of thailand
chamlong srimuang
chart thai
chiang mai
corruption
don mueang airport
galyani vadhana
government house
narathiwat
noppadon pattama
pad
pattani
people power party
people's alliance for democracy
phuket
ppp
preah vihear temple
princess galyani vadhana
samak
samak sundaravej
somchai
somchai wongsawat
stock exchange of thailand
suvarnabhumi airport
thai airways
thai boxers
thai politics
thai society
thailand
thais
thaksin
thaksin shinawatra
tot
yala
yongyuth tiyapairat
ไทยแลนด์บัซซ์ เวอร์ชั่นภาษาไทย
Comments