Former Prime Ministers Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Somchai Wongsawat came under fire yesterday after calling for royal intervention to resolve the political stand-off.

Leading figures, including Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Chart Thai de-facto leader Banharn Silapa-archa, said the call could put undue pressure on His Majesty the King who is still recuperating at Siriraj Hospital.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate and it may sow the seeds of doubt about whether the two were responsible for things that have come this far,” Abhisit said.

Banharn, also a former prime minister, said it “doesn’t sound good” for Chavalit to suggest that things would deteriorate if he and Somchai were not granted a royal audience.

“I’d like General Chavalit to think again and think hard,” Banharn said. “Let’s solve this political problem ourselves. And to say it out loud: what if there is no response from His Majesty? Would that be infringing on the King’s role?”

Other leading figures yesterday attacked the idea of seeking royal intervention to resolve the political predicament, with some asking Chavalit to first express his readiness to defend the royal institution.

Democrat chief adviser and ex-premier Chuan Leekpai said the monarchy was above and beyond politics and he deemed it inappropriate for Chavalit to invoke His Majesty in a political context.

“I think Chavalit should reprimand those attacking the monarchy, instead of trying to involve the King in an inappropriate manner,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart said the two former prime ministers should have tried to come up with a practical proposal to overcome the turmoil rather than take politics to the monarchy.

“I don’t want to speculate about Chavalit’s true intention, but it is deemed inappropriate to bother His Majesty with politics,” he said.

He said Somchai and Chavalit should ask the red shirts to relocate their rally site from Rajprasong because of the inconvenience to commerce and people’s livelihoods.

Commenting on a possible way out of the predicament, he said Parliament was the best venue to debate a solution and that the government and the red shirts should resume their direct negotiations to settle differences.

He said he was pessimistic that a go-between, such as the National Human Rights Commission, could successfully broker peace.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said he believed every Thai citizen would strongly disapprove of drawing the King into politics.

News item Courtesy of The Nation Bangkok at www.nationmultimedia.com