Air force chief wants go-between arbitrate dispute between govt, protestors

Bangkok, June 9 (TNA) - Thailand's Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Chalit Pukbhasuk said Sunday a go-between should be appointed to settle the dispute between the coalition government and the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which has been holding a noisy protest in central Bangkok for more than two weeks. "I've said earlier that if two parties clash against each other, a referee should be appointed because each party would think they're right," said ACM Chalit, one of the key military leaders who staged the coup against prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in September 2006. However, Marshal Chalit declined to say who should be appointed to the arbitrator's role to end the political crisis. On Saturday, respected public intellectual Dr. Prawase Wasi suggested that former prime ministers such as Anand Panyarachun, Chuan Leekpai, Banharn Silpa-archa and Chavalit Yongchaiyuth be called in to help resolve the deadlock. PAD members and their supporters have been protesting near the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The anti-government movement held street protests in 2006 which opened the way for a military willingness to conduct a coup, which subsequently resulted in the downfall of the Thaksin administration by coup d'etat. Asked about the PAD's current 'mini-protest strategy' which delegated members to carry the protest to some of the independent agencies, set up by the military after the coup, ACM Chalit said the military would not get involved, that it is the duty of the police and the government resolve the problem. Marshal Chalit said the military would only carry out orders given by the government on issues which are "legitimate only" and they would "side with the righteous party". (TNA)