Thai Senate under pressure to resolve crisis

The Thai Senate has said that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra should be contacted to discuss the ongoing unrest as he is the centre of the political crisis in the country, media reported Wednesday.

The Senate held an informal session Tuesday to discuss possible solutions to end the conflict, the Bangkok Post reported.

Senator Wanchai Sornsiri urged acting Senate Speaker Surachai Liangboonlertchai to contact Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin Shinawatra was the prime minister of Thailand 2001-06 when he was ousted on allegations of corruption, treason, authoritarianism, tax evasion and concealing his wealth during his premiership.

The People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) or anti-government protestors started protesting since Thaksin's sister Yingluck Shinawatra was unseated by a constitutional court as the prime minister last week, and will not stop till a new government is formed.

At the Senate session, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said that a referendum should be held for the public to make decisions on issues such as how to establish a reform council free of politicians, how to proceed with reforms, and how to ensure an elected government proceeds with reforms.