PM plans to wait until dust settles

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is refusing to make a decision on whether to hold a snap election until he assesses "the lay of the land", he says.

"No one can tell [exactly when the new election can be held] as we still don't know how the situation will develop from now," Mr Abhisit said in his weekly address yesterday.

"Some groups are still talking about fighting on and resuming a mass rally in June."
Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, a leader of the anti-military coup movement called June 24 Group and a key figure of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, said on Friday a small-scale anti-government rally would begin in Ratchaburi on Sunday and a new mass rally would then begin either next month or July.

The prime minister has never ruled out a dissolution of parliament before the end of his tenure next year.

He offered a snap poll on Nov 14 to the UDD in exchange for the end of the demonstration but negotiations with the red shirt leaders collapsed, leading to his decision to use force to end the protest.

The prime minister stressed that an election should be called only when the situation had returned to normal and the political campaign and the poll must be free and fair.

The government's priority now was to implement its national reconciliation plan, including a plan to approach certain "outsiders" to sit on an independent fact-finding committee that would be responsible for investigating the past violence, Mr Abhisit said.

The rally by the UDD since March 12 ended on Wednesday with several private and government buildings in Bangkok and other provinces being burned and many shops looted.

The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation pointed to armed men and radical members of the red shirts as being behind the carnage.
But Mr Abhisit said a foreigner was suspected of being involved in the arson and an investigation into this suspect was under way.

Acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said: "A white Westerner was involved in the arson attack on CentralWorld, convincing them to set fire to it. And an Asian was also involved in the arson attacks on the banks."

Mr Panitan did not give any names but a video of a British man urging the burning and looting of the shopping mall, taken several days before it was set on fire, has been circulating on the YouTube video sharing website.

The man was identified by the British media as Jeff Savage, a resident of Pattaya. In interviews he reportedly defended his conduct but said he did not take part in the arson attack.

Despite the prime minister saying he was confident the country was heading back to normal, the curfew was still being enforced in Bangkok and 23 other provinces today from 11pm to 4am. The affected provinces include Chon Buri, except Pattaya City where the curfew has been lifted.

The decision to extend or scrap the curfew will depend on the situation, CRES spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday.

Police said the curfew was still needed and Special Branch police officers were keeping the capital under surveillance to ward off more violent attacks.
The CRES has also decided to move from the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bang Khen district to the Royal Thai Army headquarters on Ratchadamnoen Avenue from today to be closer to Government House.

Col Sansern said the CRES would begin cutting troops securing streets and public places in the capital when and where appropriate.
It was still crucial for the military to work together with the police to ensure public security and order in Bangkok, although the violent situation had seemed to subside, he said.

Security forces will continue to secure the Ratchaprasong intersection and surrounding areas including Pratunam, Sala Daeng, Phloenchit and Pathumwan intersections.

More combined forces will also maintain a regular patrol in all areas of the capital and standard security measures at seven checkpoints located at main gateways to inner Bangkok.