Parties non-committal as government seeks talks

By The Nation

 

Maj-General Sansern

 

The government is considering whether to invite political parties for talks before June, but is not committing to remove the ban on political activities despite increasing criticism from parties and democracy advocates.

 

No political party has yet received an invitation, and some are wondering aloud whether the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) is attempting to copy their policy plans. They have said they would not want to attend such talks.

 

Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd refuted the allegation yesterday.

 

He said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would like to share information with political parties about what the government had been doing and know what parties had to offer once the country returned to democratic rule to ensure peace and order. 

 

The talks could be held in June or before that if the political parties prefer, the spokesman added. 

 

Discussions between the government and political parties were still possible, he said, even though a constitutional review is underway for two organic bills necessary for the election to proceed – the MP election and Senate selection bills. The constitutional reviews could delay enforcement of the bills.

 

Sansern said that political parties must understand that some issues may not be settled by holding talks, including the plea for the junta to lift the ban on political activities.

 

Meanwhile, Varawut Silpa-archa, a leader of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, said yesterday the party had not received any such invitation. He said he had no idea which issues the government wanted to address.

 

Once those issues are clarified, Varawut said the party would discuss them and decide how to proceed.

 

“But now an election is expected,” said Varawut. “In order to return to normalcy, the election is the key. And what our party is working on right now is preparation for the election.”

 

Ongart Klampaiboon, a deputy leader of the Democrat Party, also told The Nation he was not sure what the government wanted to talk about. Hence, the party had not decided whether or not to join the talks, he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30342626

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-4-6

Why bother so far you haven't invited anyone to anything except under section 44, however if you have a BBQ in mind at any stage to make the other political parties feel welcome in their own country,  there is a rather large BBQ area in Yinglucks back yard that could be of use , Prayut -o-Cha knows it very well...........................................

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would like to share information with political parties about what the government had been doing

That's already self-evident.

18 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

know what parties had to offer once the country returned to democratic rule to ensure peace and order. 

Lift the ban on political activities and find out.