Thai Senate fails to elect interim PM

He disappointed People's Democratic Reform Committee saying a neutral premier would be appointed by their deadline of Friday

A Thai Senate session has failed to come up with electing an interim prime minister, dashing hopes of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) that a neutral premier would be appointed by their deadline of Friday, a media report said Saturday.

The anti-government PDRC's leader Suthep Thaugsuban gutted by the senate's decision has announced that his movement will now find a way to appoint an interim prime minister on its own, the Bangkok Post reported.

The PDRC protestors started demonstrations since incumbent prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra was unseated by a constitutional court last week, and said they would not stop till a new government is formed.

However, the Senate has also confirmed that it will call another special session to consider feedback from various sectors to find a new prime minister.

Acting Senate Speaker Surachai Liangboonlertchai said it has been agreed that efforts must be made to complete national reforms swiftly to restore peace to the country and that a prime minister and government invested with full authority to run the country is needed to implement reforms.

The Thai army chief Thursday warned anti-government protestors of military action if they did not stop indulging in violence.

The warning came in the wake of an attack Thursday afternoon when gunmen on a pickup truck opened fire on a protest camp near the site of Bangkok's Democracy Monument, where anti-government protestors have camped for months.

Three people were killed in the attack and 23 injured.

The demonstrators are demanding that, before fresh elections are held, the political system should be reformed as they consider it to be corrupt and serving the interests of ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Meanwhile, the civil organisation United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, whose supporters are commonly called Red Shirts, and government supporters have threatened to start a civil war if their democratic rights are taken away.