No progress in Bangkok talks so far

The talks that were televised nationally on Monday ended with little progress as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva resisted calls by protest leaders to immediately dissolve parliament and take the country to a general election.

However, Abhisit did offer to call elections by the end of the year in the second day of talks that are taking place between the government and red-shirted protesters at an educational institute in Bangkok.

Thailand is currently scheduled to go to the polls by 2011 but the protestors have given the government a deadline of two weeks to announce the dissolution of parliament. They claim the current administration had the backing of the military when it came to power in 2008.

A win-win situation

Sean Boonpracong, a spokesman for the red shirts, said the movement would stand by its demand. "I think it’s a win-win situation for both sides. They certainly can’t be seen as caving in to us. Our ultimatum is pure and simple – dissolution of parliament."

He added that the fact talks had taken place "showed that we are reasonable, that we can be talked to and continue to put forward our position and issues."

The talks began on Sunday after tens of thousands of protestors, supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, had mounted increasing pressure on the government, forcing several units of the military to back down and redeploy.

They mark a new stage in Thailand's political drama, representing a departure from the bloody confrontation that has occurred in political demonstrations that have taken place in Thailand over the past few decades.

Easing of tensions

The talks have temporarily eased tensions in Bangkok, where protestors staged noisy demonstrations and spilled their blood in ritual curses in recent weeks, as well as driving convoys through the city.

In the country's north on Monday, grenade attacks on government buildings and banks led to some injures but no deaths.

Buranaj Samatharak, the spokesman for the governing Democrat Party, said that the talks would help keep the peace in the country. "Talking is the best way to negotiate with those who are proven not to be involved with the bombing attacks. The people who have been misled into demonstrating will at least be given the chance to sit down and talk with the government. During that time, there will be relative peace in the country."

Several rounds of talks expected

The government expects several rounds of talks to take place. The National United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship said on Monday that the government should look to go to the polls within two months.

However, Thai business leaders say the country’s economic revival could be undermined by an early dissolution of the parliament.

"Every time you have the dissolving of the house, the economy does not react very positively because there will be a certain period of caretaker government running the country that will not initiate new policies," said Anusorn Burnanakanonda, a business analyst and funds manager.

The two sides agreed to meet again on Thursday.

Author: Ron Corben (Bangkok)
Editor: Anne Thomas