[ad_1]
BANGKOK, Nov. 3 (Bloomberg): Thailand may force a former prime minister to lead a reconciliation committee proposed by parliament to resolve key issues raised by pro-democracy protesters.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chuan Leekpai, has approached at least four former prime ministers and representatives from various political parties to be part of the panel, which may also include protest groups. A special session of parliament last week proposed the formation of the reconciliation committee and appointed Chuan, himself a former prime minister, to finalize its composition.
Former prime ministers Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, Anand Panyarachun and Abhisit Vejjajiva are willing to support the committee’s work, Chuan said, adding that he is still waiting to discuss the issue with Somchai Wongsawat. The movement to spread political tension follows King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s olive branch to protesters in what he called Thailand “the land of compromise.”
The protesters, who have been organizing almost daily meetings for nearly three weeks, are demanding more transparency and accountability for the monarchy, a rewritten constitution and the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who had repeatedly refused to resign. Political unrest has eroded investor sentiment with the benchmark Thai stock index extending losses to 23% this year.
Previous panels
While Prayut has supported the amendment of the charter and the formation of the reconciliation committee, the protest groups have threatened to remain in the streets until their demands are fully met. Suggestions from past reconciliation committees in Thailand have been largely ignored, including recommendations issued after the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 2010.
The three former prime ministers who have expressed interest in the committee have long been connected to the realist camp. Chavalit is a former army chief, Anand was appointed prime minister by the junta after the 1991 coup, and Abhisit faced street protests that ended the deadly crackdown in 2010.
Parliament will restart the stalled process for the amendment of the statutes on November 17, Chuan said on Tuesday. Public opinion on the amendment will also be included in the discussions, he said, adding that parliament will vote on ways to rewrite the constitution before November 18.
Protesters have broken long-standing taboos on publicly criticizing the royal family, with demands that the monarch no longer endorse coups, provide transparency on how funds are spent, and the abolition of laws that stifle discussion about the royal family.
While anti-government groups have not organized a major demonstration since they marched to the German embassy last week to demand an investigation into the legal status of King Vajiralongkorn in the European country, pro-royalist groups have held demonstrations, increasing the fears of confrontations between the rival. meetings. But political disruptions are unlikely to lead to immediate economic implications, according to DBS Bank Ltd.
“While ongoing political protests exacerbate the challenging growth environment due to coronavirus, the consequences may not be long-lasting unless tensions escalate,” DBS said in a report Tuesday.
[ad_2]
