04/04/2010
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva called on the red-shirt protesters to abide by the constitution, leave Ratchaprasong intersection and return to their main protest venue at Phan Fa Bridge.
"Staging a mass demonstration in the middle of the road violates the rights of others and is unlawful," Mr Abhisit said in a live television broadcast on Sunday morning.
He said the government will not use force to disperse the protesters after its peacekeeping operations centre announced that people will not be allowed to converge on Ratchaprasong, one of Bangkok's main business and shopping districts.
The premier said he had assigned the deputy police chiefs to hold talks with core members of the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) in an effort to open up the intersection.
Blockading the intersection has caused a serious impact on the public as there are hospitals, schools and shopping malls there.
"The government respects the rights of every group of people and this is the first time for me, as prime minister, to listen to the red-shirt leaders' problems.
"We [the government] understand the UDD's demands but there are many other people who don't agree with them. We have to listen to all sides," Mr Abhisit said.
He also insisted that his government was as legitimate as governments in foreign countries.
"I'm not attached to the post of prime minister -- I have offered the UDD leaders to reduce my term in office. The government is ready to seek ways to solve the political crisis and all sides are invited to work together to make the country move forward," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment