Thai junta sets 'reconciliation talks' for Valentine's Day

By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Patpicha Tanakasempipat

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha gestures in a traditional greeting as he arrives at a weekly cabinet meeting at the Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, February 7, 2017. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's military-led reconciliation talks, aimed at mending the country's political divide ahead of elections next year, will start next week and last three months, the junta said on Thursday.

 

The junta announced on Wednesday that the elections it had promised for this year would be postponed until 2018. It has billed the talks as proof that it is serious about a return to democracy.

 

Thailand's junta overthrew the last elected prime minister in 2014, saying it had intervened to end street protests and years of political turmoil. It has promised to restore democracy to the Southeast Asian country.

 

It set up a reconciliation panel of generals and experts to improve relations between political factions.

 

"We aim to start reconciliation talks on Feb. 14, the day of love," Lieutenant General Kongcheep Tantravanich, a defence ministry spokesman, told Reuters.

 

"We want the reconciliation to happen before, during, and after elections."

 

Thailand's political divide is broadly between the traditionalist elite, centred on middle-class Bangkok, and the less prosperous parts of the country, which largely backed populist governments of former premiers Thaksin Shinawatra and his sister Yingluck. Both were overthrown in 2006 and 2014 coups, respectively.

 

The Democrat Party, one of two main parties in Thailand, said it believes reconciliation can be achieved.

 

"I only ask that we don't sweep problems under the carpet and talk about real problems," Wirat Kanyasiri, the party's legal adviser, told Reuters.

 

But Yingluck's Pheu Thai party said it had doubts.

 

"The reconciliation panel should consist of people who are neutral," Chaturon Chaisang, one of the party's leaders, told Reuters.

 

Thanawut Wichaidit, spokesman for the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), supporters of Thaksin and Yingluck, said the army should position itself neutrally from now on.

 

Critics have questioned how neutral the panel could be given decades of military involvement in politics.

 

A Thai political analyst said reconciliation led by the army had more chance for success than by political parties.

 

"If reconciliation is to be achieved, it has to be led by the military," Kan Yuenyong, executive director of Siam Intelligence Unit think-tank, told Reuters.

 

"But there could be less resistance if the panel was more neutral."

 

(Editing by Nick Macfie)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-02-10

The junta announced on Wednesday that the elections it had promised for this year would be postponed until 2018. It has billed the talks as proof that it is serious about further delaying  a return to democracy. 

 

 

Edited February 10, 20179 yr by candide

Awwww...ain't that sweet!?
Will they meet at a short- time hotel?

1 hour ago, webfact said:

It set up a reconciliation panel of generals...

Yup, that's the right line-up, boys! Military generals know everything there is to know about reconciliation and peace and will be absolutely neutral while serving on that panel and trying hard to "improve relations between political factions." Well, at least they'll have something vaguely useful to do in between their daily rounds of golf, meddling in politics and staging occasional coups.

Thai junta sets 'reconciliation talks' for Valentine's Day

 

I can feel the love! 

Love is in the air. 

Maybe we can get together and buy the PM a rose bush for the special day. I know exactly the place where it should be inserted.

The road map to peace.

Who will win Yingluck's heart?

yup let's take all those fellows away from their Valentine's Day Sweethearts and have a bit of "Happiness" dancing to the Dear General's compositions with the Boyz in Green

"...will start next week and last three months."

 

In other words, as usual they have no clue it doesn't matter what they are talking about as long as it seems to sound good to them.

 

How can they possibly know how long talks will take?

Nobody has been allowed to give a real opinion!

 

They are clearly talking right out of their backsides again.

 

 

"Before, during and after elections" and "On the day of love" is just typical style over content. So now we must suffer the insufferable: hackneyed platitudes about love from the old Toads tea party "talks".

 

 

"Your Names Not Down Your Not Comin In" "Not Tonight You're Not On The List"

 

 

Edited February 10, 20179 yr by Squeegee

By definition, aren`t political parties with different political views  `divided`?

 

If not we get one party like in Nth Korea

 

 

The army needs to barred from politics and stop doing the bidding of the elites.  It will never happen. 

 

 

19 hours ago, webfact said:

A Thai political analyst said reconciliation led by the army had more chance for success than by political parties.

Actually makes sense, "kiss and make up or we're staying". Sounds like motivation is in the air.

I would have preferred Xmas day then everyone gets a present.................................

22 hours ago, webfact said:

It set up a reconciliation panel of generals and experts

But no political factions. How does that lead to reconciliation by leaving out the very people that are being asked/required for reconciliation? No, this reconciliation panel smacks of a one-party system that will operate under the guise of a democratic system and impose its will no matter who represents the electorate.

20 hours ago, Reigntax said:

Maybe we can get together and buy the PM a rose bush for the special day. I know exactly the place where it should be inserted.

Sorry there is no thornless variety. 

4 hours ago, ramrod711 said:

Sounds like motivation is in the air.

I doubt if it will be contagious. 

Still don't understand exactly to what reconciliation the PM refers? Reconciliation = compliance by all?