Thailand suggests referendum on crisis

By AMBIKA AHUJA

Associated Press Writer

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Thailand's Cabinet agreed Thursday to hold a referendum on a civic group's street campaign to oust the prime minister, which has paralyzed the government for the last 10 days and raised fears of violence and economic chaos.

The decision came hours after a defiant Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej went on national radio and vowed he would not step down.

His combative speech intensified the deadlock with the People's Alliance for Democracy, whose supporters have taken over the sprawling lawns of Samak's office in their thousands since storming through the gates on Aug. 26.

Describing the alliance as an anti-democratic group and their actions as a shameful embarrassment for the country, Samak said he will not bow to its demands.

"I will not abandon the ship, and I will take responsibility for the crew on board," Samak said, peppering his speech with folksy language. "Let me say this before the national anthem. I am not resigning. I have to protect the democracy of this country."

A referendum could show a way out of the deadlock.

Samak said in a radio interview later that the referendum will ask the public if they agree with the alliance's campaign and if they believe the government should resign.

But first, a law would have to be passed by the Senate because there is currently no provision for a referendum. Once the law is passed, it would take about a month to hold the vote, he said.

"While waiting for the result of referendum, the protesters can demonstrate. I can wait," he said.

The announcement was met with skepticism from the anti-government protesters camped in the compound of Samak's office, the Government House.

Analysts also cast doubts, saying a referendum would be too costly and unlikely to have credibility.

"A referendum is normally used to test public approval on whether to go to war or pass an important law. It would not be effective as a tool to solve a complicated political crisis with many conditions and layers," said Panithan Wattanayagorn, a political science professor at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

"The problem is complex and nuanced and asking a yes or no question will only further divide the country," he said.

The protesters are living under makeshift tents, and organizers have set up a high stage from where leaders deliver regular speeches in between music concerts to keep the protesters entertained.

The People's Alliance for Democracy has already forced one prime minister from power -- staging demonstrations in 2006 that paved the way for the bloodless coup that removed Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon, recently fled to Britain to escape corruption charges. The protesters say Samak is Thaksin's stooge and is running the government for him by proxy. They accuse Samak's government of corruption and taking unconstitutional decisions.

Bloody rioting between supporters of Samak and the alliance left one person dead and dozens injured early Tuesday, the only violence since the deadlock began. Samak imposed a state of emergency in Bangkok following the violence but has not enforced the strict laws -- including use of military -- that he now has.

Still, the possibility of a military intervention hangs over Thailand, which has experienced 18 military coups since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932.

Analysts say fresh elections might ease the pressure on the government but won't placate the alliance because Samak's party is likely to return to power, thanks to the strong support it has in the rural areas.

The People's Alliance for Democracy claims to be an apolitical group, made up largely of royalists, wealthy and middle-class urban residents, and union activists.

"What they want is to eradicate Thaksin and his allies once and for all," said Panithan Wattanayagorn, a political analyst.

The alliance argues that Western-style democracy doesn't work for Thailand. It says the ballot box gives too much weight to the impoverished rural majority, who are susceptible to vote buying that breeds corruption. It wants Parliament to be revamped so most lawmakers are appointed rather than elected.

------

Associated Press writers Jocelyn Gecker, Michael Casey, Sutin Wannabovorn, Grant Peck and Vijay Joshi in Bangkok contributed to this report.