BANGKOK, March 23: Opponents of Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra said on Thursday they would ask the king to intervene in a political crisis pitting the prime minister against those demanding he resign over corruption allegations. The People’s Alliance for Democracy had set Thursday night as a deadline for Mr Thaksin’s resignation, warning it would escalate its campaign against him if he did not step down by 10pm (1500 GMT).
When the hour passed, the alliance announced it would go to King Bhumibol Adulyadej for a solution.
Thailand’s revered monarch has so far stayed out of the political crisis that has gripped his kingdom for several months, although his chief adviser has called for a swift resolution.
Mr Thaksin has been battling weeks of demonstrations calling for him to resign since his family pocketed almost two billion dollars in a tax-free stock sale.
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets in near daily protests with another mass protest planned at the weekend.
The Alliance is asking for the king to name an interim prime minister until elections called by Thaksin for April 2 can be held and constitutional reforms made.
Thaksin called the polls three years early in a bid to end the political deadlock, and political analysts largely see him as returning with a fresh mandate.
But amid worries that the election results could further deepen the crisis, Thaksin has tried to salvage the polls by turning them into a referendum on his government, saying he would refuse to take office if he wins less than half the vote.
The main opposition Democrat party has vowed to boycott the polls, and will hold a separate rally late Friday to map out its future strategy.
“We will explain to the public that Thaksin’s corrupt administration has damaged Thailand,” said spokesman Ong-art Klampaiboon.
Ong-art insisted that the Democrat rally was not connected to the Alliance’s demonstration.—AFP
