lonelywombat
March 24th, 2006, 07:45
From Bangkok Post friday 24 March 0200 GMT
King meets privy council members for consultation
POST REPORTERS
His Majesty the King called the biggest gathering of privy councillors in many years for consultations on the political situation yesterday, sources close to the privy council said. Gen Prem Tinsulanonda, the privy council chairman, and Gen Surayud Chulanont, former army chief, were among the 17 privy councillors who attended the audience at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin, the sources said.
The meeting lasted about three hours, ending shortly before the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) issued an appeal for His Majesty the King to appoint a new prime minister.
One of the sources said His Majesty was very concerned with the political situation, but the source could not provide any further details of what was discussed at the meeting.
The PAD yesterday formally called for a royally-bestowed prime minister to replace caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as the 48-hour deadline it imposed on Mr Thaksin expired last night.
Before that, Mr Thaksin belittled the deadline set by the PAD for him to resign, saying the line was drawn with a pencil.
The PAD said the only way to defuse the crisis was the use of Article 7 of the charter, which states: ''Whenever no provision under this constitution is applicable to any case, it shall be decided in accordance with the constitutional practice in the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State.''
The PAD called on the people to appeal to His Majesty to exercise his power under Article 7 to appoint a new prime minister, to set new political reforms in motion. The group voiced confidence that a royally-bestowed prime minister would form an ad hoc government to push for swift political reform with the people's participation, and then call a fresh general election.
It urged all supporters to join either the large rally scheduled to start at 2pm tomorrow on Ratchadamnoen Nok avenue or rallies in their provinces.
Suriyasai Katasila, co-ordinator of the PAD, said its leaders were unanimous that Article 7 should be applied to prevent bloodshed.
The protracted political deadlock will not be broken with an election, he said.
Another leader, Pibhop Dhongchai, said the PAD would also appeal to the King to suspend Mr Thaksin from duty for fear that he would obstruct investigations into malfeasance charges to be filed against him today by the Egat labour union with the police, the Department of Special Investigation and the National Counter Corruption Commission over the Egat privatisation plan
Protesters to ask for royal intervention
Opponents trying to unseat Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, announced Thursday night that they would appeal for a royally-appointed prime minister from His Majesty the King to replace Mr. Thaksin.
The move is based on Article 7 of the constitution, which allows royal intervention in special cases of turmoil. Sondhi Limthongkul, a core member of the PAD, appealed for a huge turnout at tomorrow's mass rally at the Makhawan Bridge on Rajadamneon Nok Road, likely to be the last before next weekend's election.
"Let it be our largest-ever demonstration representing the people's power to petition His Majesty the King for a royally-appointed prime minister to pave the way for the country's second-round political reform," he said.
Mr Sondhi, a local media mogul-turned arch critic against the caretaker premier, read the PAD's statement before the demonstrators after the coalition's deadline passed without any response from the caretaker prime minister.
Mr Thaksin, who flies to Udon Thani today for an election rally, said again that he has no intention of resigning. (BP-TNA)
King meets privy council members for consultation
POST REPORTERS
His Majesty the King called the biggest gathering of privy councillors in many years for consultations on the political situation yesterday, sources close to the privy council said. Gen Prem Tinsulanonda, the privy council chairman, and Gen Surayud Chulanont, former army chief, were among the 17 privy councillors who attended the audience at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin, the sources said.
The meeting lasted about three hours, ending shortly before the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) issued an appeal for His Majesty the King to appoint a new prime minister.
One of the sources said His Majesty was very concerned with the political situation, but the source could not provide any further details of what was discussed at the meeting.
The PAD yesterday formally called for a royally-bestowed prime minister to replace caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, as the 48-hour deadline it imposed on Mr Thaksin expired last night.
Before that, Mr Thaksin belittled the deadline set by the PAD for him to resign, saying the line was drawn with a pencil.
The PAD said the only way to defuse the crisis was the use of Article 7 of the charter, which states: ''Whenever no provision under this constitution is applicable to any case, it shall be decided in accordance with the constitutional practice in the democratic regime of government with the King as Head of State.''
The PAD called on the people to appeal to His Majesty to exercise his power under Article 7 to appoint a new prime minister, to set new political reforms in motion. The group voiced confidence that a royally-bestowed prime minister would form an ad hoc government to push for swift political reform with the people's participation, and then call a fresh general election.
It urged all supporters to join either the large rally scheduled to start at 2pm tomorrow on Ratchadamnoen Nok avenue or rallies in their provinces.
Suriyasai Katasila, co-ordinator of the PAD, said its leaders were unanimous that Article 7 should be applied to prevent bloodshed.
The protracted political deadlock will not be broken with an election, he said.
Another leader, Pibhop Dhongchai, said the PAD would also appeal to the King to suspend Mr Thaksin from duty for fear that he would obstruct investigations into malfeasance charges to be filed against him today by the Egat labour union with the police, the Department of Special Investigation and the National Counter Corruption Commission over the Egat privatisation plan
Protesters to ask for royal intervention
Opponents trying to unseat Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, announced Thursday night that they would appeal for a royally-appointed prime minister from His Majesty the King to replace Mr. Thaksin.
The move is based on Article 7 of the constitution, which allows royal intervention in special cases of turmoil. Sondhi Limthongkul, a core member of the PAD, appealed for a huge turnout at tomorrow's mass rally at the Makhawan Bridge on Rajadamneon Nok Road, likely to be the last before next weekend's election.
"Let it be our largest-ever demonstration representing the people's power to petition His Majesty the King for a royally-appointed prime minister to pave the way for the country's second-round political reform," he said.
Mr Sondhi, a local media mogul-turned arch critic against the caretaker premier, read the PAD's statement before the demonstrators after the coalition's deadline passed without any response from the caretaker prime minister.
Mr Thaksin, who flies to Udon Thani today for an election rally, said again that he has no intention of resigning. (BP-TNA)