Asia-Pacific

Thailand's Prime Minister to resign

(AP)
Updated: 2006-04-04 22:11
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Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, beset by weeks of anti-government protests, said Tuesday he would step down because of his party's disappointing showing in national elections.

Thailand's Prime Minister to resign
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra waves to media at the Government house in Bangkok on Tuesday, April 4. 2006. Thailand's prime minister claimed victory but acknowledged a strong protest vote in an election boycotted by the opposition and held after weeks of rallies to demand his resignation for alleged corruption and abuse of power. [AP]

His announcement came shortly after meeting with the country's revered monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, at his seaside palace in southern Hua Hin.

"I am sorry that I will not accept the premier post," Thaksin said during a televised speech.

He said he would remain in a caretaker role until a successor is chosen, adding that his replacement would be elected once parliament resumes within the next 30 days.

"We have no time to quarrel," he said. "I want to see Thai people unite and forget what has happened."

Thaksin's announcement came after opposition forces vowed to mount new protests, rejecting his claim to having won the weekend election.

Suriyasai Katasila, a spokesman for the People's Alliance for Democracy, which has been leading the protests, had vowed to keep up the demonstrations until Thaksin resigned.

Thaksin's party won 57 percent in Sunday's election, according to preliminary results, but scores of voters abstained, including a majority in the capital, Bangkok.

Speaking on television Monday night, Thaksin said he saw no reason to resign since preliminary results showed that his party had won 16 million votes — enough for a victory but down from the sweeping mandate of 19 million votes his party received last year.

Nonetheless, he acknowledged a strong protest vote against him and said he would set up a neutral committee to decide his political future. He said the committee would comprise three former prime ministers, three former Supreme Court chiefs and three former heads of Parliament to judge whether he should resign.

"If that committee tells me to quit, then I will quit," Thaksin said.

Thaksin's critics — who for two months have been staging rallies drawing as many as 100,000 people — rejected the idea of a reconciliation committee as insincere.

"If the ultimate goal is to solve the conflicts in the country, I would like to call for you (the prime minister) to announce your resignation as soon as possible," said Abhisit Vejjajiva, the head of the main opposition Democrat Party.

About 10 million voters showed their disapproval of Thaksin by casting abstention votes.