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Thai prime minister calls for national referendum to end crisis

Thailand may hold a referendum in a bid to end the protests against the government, embattled Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said on Thursday.

  • Agencies
  • Published: 17:29 September 4, 2008
  • Gulf News

Bangkok: Thailand may hold a referendum in a bid to end the protests against the government, embattled Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said on Thursday.

Rejecting calls to quit, Samak urged the Senate to pass a law allowing for the public confidence vote, quickly.

He said: "The campaign will last for a month in which both sides can do whatever electioneering they want.''

However the people behind the campaign to oust the prime minister, who have barricaded themselves inside government buildings, said the referendum would make no difference.

Senate President Prasobsuk Boondej also dropped a thinly veiled hint, when he said: "The current situation needs an immediate solution to defuse it. We can't afford to wait for the referendum law to pass."

The anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) took over the prime minister's offices 10 days ago.

"The referendum will not solve anything," PAD spokesman Parnthep Pourpongpan said.

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