Prem To Seek Royal Command

[Flashermac]

The Privy Council president has agreed to a proposal by the Man of State group to seek His Majesty the King's assistance to help end the political crisis and allow the country to move forward, according to the group's leader.

 

Saiyud Kerdphol, a retired Army general who is a former armed forces supreme commander, said yesterday that General Prem Tinsulanonda, the chief royal adviser, would submit to the King an appeal by the group for a royal command to solve the ongoing crisis.

 

He said the measure suggested by the group, in a bid to restore peace in the country, would be in line with the Constitution.

 

"It will not involve Article 7 of the Constitution or a neutral prime minister. But I will not talk about it in detail now," Saiyud said in an interview with the Nation Group yesterday.

 

Saiyud, 93, said he met Prem personally on Friday for about an hour to talk about the matter. He said Prem agreed to his group's idea of seeking royal assistance.

 

He expected the group's appeal to His Majesty the King would be completed within the next week, adding that Prem would later submit the proposed measure for royal endorsement.

 

Saiyud explained that His Majesty helped settle a number of serious conflicts in the country in the past. These included turm-oil in Chinatown after the end of World War II, conflict following the student-led uprising in 1973, and the pro-democracy protest in May 1992.

 

He was convinced that the King's moral power would again help solve another severe conflict.

 

This latest attempt by the Man of State group comes after the confrontation between the government and the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee has continued for six months.

 

Saiyud said that with a royal order to be issued, he believed that the crisis would be resolved. He added that in Thai history, a royal order had never been challenged.

 

When asked to comment on possible opposition by government supporters, Saiyud

 

said the relevant authorities including the armed forces should perform their duty in this regard.

 

"The person who challenges a royal order for the first time in Thai history will be recorded in the history books," he said.

 

Saiyud said he was working on this matter for the benefit of the country as he had concern for the country.

 

"I can't just stay idle. This is my country. I have not slept well," he said.

 

"The country will not head for a dead-end because we have the King as our head of state.

 

"The government works on behalf of the King and it volunteers to run the country so that there is peace and order. They took their vow before His Majesty and what have they done for the country over the past two years?"

 

Saiyud once chaired the People’s Network for Election, an election watchdog.

 

The Man of State group, which was formed on January 28, earlier suggested that the political crisis should be solved by intervention of the military. The group consists mainly of retired high-ranking military commanders, government officials and academics.

 

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Prem-to-seek-royal-command-30232313.html