Thai government to discuss proposed election date

Thai caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has assigned her deputy prime minister to hold talks with all sides concerned with the election commission's proposal to postpone the Feb 2 elections, Yingluck's secretary general said Monday.

Suranand Vejjajiva, the prime minister's secretary general, said Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana would meet representatives from the election commission, political parties, and supporters and opponents of the elections Wednesday, reported Xinhua.

The anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee leader Suthep Thaugsuban Monday turned down the invitation to talk to the government over the issue.

Suthep said he would not negotiate with the government or the military or any mediator, but would fight until the people achieve the goal of reform before the elections.

The election commission Sunday formally requested Yingluck to consider postponing the Feb 2 polls to some other date, tentatively May 4, as the elections were "doomed to fail" due to disruption by violent protests.

Yingluck has earlier rejected calls for rescheduling the date, saying the caretaker government is legally obliged to see to it that the Feb 2 polls, following last month's dissolution of parliament, were held.

The main opposition Democrat Party is now boycotting the snap elections calling for political reform before polls.

Anti-government protestors began paralysing part of the Thai capital Bangkok Monday in a bid to oust the prime minister.