Confusion as red shirts stay in Bangkok

THE ongoing political crisis hangs in the balance today after prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva demanded red shirts confirm when they will lift their Silom protest.

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) originally agreed to the PM’s proposal for November 14 elections, but still will not tell their supporters to go home.

Now the embattled premier has demanded confirmation today whether the two sides have in fact reached an agreement, or else his reconciliation proposal will be scrapped.

Key red shirt leaders Natthawut Saikua, Veera Musikhapon and Chatuporn Prompan cancelled a press conference yesterday and held an urgent meeting to respond to Abhisit’s fresh demands.

The UDD have been given until today to provide the exact timeframe for its rallies to end and so release paralysed sections of Bangkok.

The government believes red shirt supreme leader and former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is blocking efforts to end the political rifts that has seen 50 foreign nations advise against travel to the Kingdom and seen tourist figures plummet.

The red shirts agreed in principle to accept the reconciliation process unveiled by Abhisit last Monday, but refuse to say when demonstrators will be told to stop occupying the business and shopping district in Ratchaprasong.

Grenade attacks and shooting in the capital were reported this weekend, which could have destabilised talks.

The conflict has had a dire effect on the Thai tourism industry with thousands of holidays to Bangkok cancelled and many of the region’s hotels empty.

The UDD had demanded PM Abhisit Vejjajiva call snap elections to allow fugitive politician Thaksin Shinawatra to return to power, but now seem satisfied with the November date.

Thaksin-supporting red shirts want a ballot before the current leader of the Thai military steps down to ensure a sympathetic figure is installed in his place.

The former Manchester City FC chairman has been on the run since he was ousted in a military coup and faces corruption charges should he return to Thailand.

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