Thailand's Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party said on Friday that it
would accept the challenge to participate in a public debate if
only demonstrators agree to end their protest against caretaker
prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and promise they will recognize
the results of the polls on April 2, said a party coordinator.
It is the first time that the TRT gives a positive response to
the public debate proposal which was asked by the opponents. TRT
spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee said protesters should allow voters
to decide for themselves who they want to become their next
leader.
He said that Thaksin would not become the next prime minister if
TRT won less votes than the small parties and abstaining votes
combined.
Earlier, the People's Network for Elections (P-Net) proposed
that all parties involved in the current political crisis,
including anti-government protestors, participate in a televised
debate.
Surapong said the TRT had not decided on who would be its
panelists and on what topics they would debate.
It was necessary to choose the right ministers for the debate
because the criticism against the government has not only focused
on the leadership but a wide scope of issues including free trade
talks, the privatization of state enterprises, military weapons
procurement, and government policies, said Surapong.
(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2006)
