Asia-Pacific

Thai PM: Thaksin remains obstacle to reconciliation

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-29 21:15

BANGKOK - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Saturday that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra still remains obstacle to the country's reconciliation process.

The former prime minister has been a big obstacle and he will continue to be an obstacle, Abhisit made the remarks during a press conference with over 100 foreign correspondents based in Bangkok at the Government House.

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"The problem is, if the whole country has to give in to his demand which are for his personal interest, it's not the suffering that the country can accept," he said.

Earlier, the prime minister said that Thaksin's past movements were seen in connection with the recent unrest, the NNT news agency said.

"What we are trying to do now is tell his supporters to move beyond former prime Minister," he said, "If they have grievances, if they have opinions, if they have stances they feel the government should listen and address and solve their problems, please go ahead and bring them for us to see that what we can do for them."

Meanwhile, the prime minister said that the government was coordinating with Interpol to seek extradition of Thaksin who is based in a Middle East country and travel most in east Europe and Africa.

The prime minister showed confidence over Thailand's internal stability in the eyes of the international community after clarifying the political unrest in the Kingdom to foreign diplomats and delegates from 76 countries and 30 international organizations.

During the two-hour briefing, Abhisit accompanying by several ministers, such as finance minister, commerce minister, foreign minister and so on, clarified five-point National Reconciliation Roadmap and promised to proceed with tourism recovery measures as requested by many delegates.