Three coalition partners insist they won’t desert PPP

Written by Admin on Thursday, September 4th, 2008

POLITICS

Three coalition partners insist they won’t desert PPP, Samak

Three coalition partners said yesterday they were staying put with the People Power party and backing Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej all the way, despite mounting pressure for his resignation. A Chart Thai source said party leader Banharn Silpa-archa told members: ”If we abandon our friend in need [the PPP], who will bother to stay on our side?”

Puea Pandin leader Suvit Khunkitti called a special meeting yesterday and again tried to persuade party members to isolate the PPP.

He said this would put pressure on Mr Samak to quit or dissolve the House.

The government could no longer contain the situation.

Mr Suvit resigned early in August in a bid to pull his party out of the government, only to be abandoned by party members who preferred to keep their ministerial portfolios.

Party spokesman Chaiyos Jiramethakarn said Mr Suvit was again unsuccessful. The meeting decided to stick with the government. Mr Suvit’s proposal was a personal view.

”Our party’s stance is to stay on to preserve democracy, stay on the people’s side, stick to a peaceful course and stop further damage,” he said.

He denied the party was staying put because of the 2009 fiscal budget, now being debated.

”We support whichever way can really end the problem,” he said.

”Could you really put up with the same old faces emerging from the next elections? A House dissolution may not be the right answer.”

Deputy Finance Minister Pradit Phataraprasit, of the Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana party, confirmed it was not pulling out and also denied the budget debate had anything to do with the decision.

He said there was a need to wait and see how the situation turned out under the emergency decree.

Army chief Anupong Paojinda is heading the committee to enforce the state of emergency decree.

Mr Pradit would not comment on Gen Anupong’s request for parliament to be assertive in solving the situation.