BANGKOK, Feb 11 – Thailand’s Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has called on caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to accept the fact that the Feb 2 general election was unsuccessful and that new balloting should be called off.
He said several quarters in society have agreed that Thailand urgently needs national reform and that the snap polls, which failed to take place in scores of constituencies nationwide, should not be held again.
Mr Abhisit said a general election, if held, should be organised by a neutral agency, and not by conflicting factions, adding that resolutions should jointly be discussed for the country, or damage will be more severe and the government will eventually fail to stay in power.
The former prime minister said the government should urgently help debt-stricken farmers and sell rice from the state stockpiles for funds to pay them.
“If rice in the stockpiles is sold, the government will get the Bt30 billion it wants for overdue payments. Why doesn’t the government take action?” he asked.
