Thai army chief holds rare meeting of political rivals

Thailand's military has hosted ground-breaking talks between warring political rivals after imposing martial law to prevent the deeply divided kingdom degenerating into another "Ukraine or Egypt".

The opposing camps and other top officials yesterday met for more than two hours under heavy guard in Bangkok in what one hardline supporter of the elected government called a good atmosphere -- a rare glimmer of detente in the long-running political conflict.

The crisis broadly pits a Bangkok-based royalist elite and its backers against the billionaire family of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military in 2006 but still enjoys strong support in northern Thailand.

There was no breakthrough at the talks chaired by army leader General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who invoked martial law Tuesday, and another meeting was called for today.

"They're all determined to find the best solution for the country," said army spokesman Werachon Sukhonthapatipak.

"Of course, the very first day we are not able to come up with the solution. But we give them some homework to go back and consult with their supporters, with their team," he told reporters.

The meeting included representatives of the government, the ruling and opposition parties and of the election commission and Senate, as well as the heads of the pro- and anti-government protest camps.

"The atmosphere at the meeting was good. At least we had a chance to talk to each other," said Thida Thavornseth, a core leader of the pro-government "Red Shirt" movement.

But observers warned that the military's efforts to end the crisis through martial law risked inflaming tensions unless the outcome is accepted by all sides.

"The next few days are crucial because if the army is going to play a broker role, it has to do so quickly," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, political analyst at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

"We will see some resistance to martial law -- martial law will be tested -- so the longer it waits, the worse it will be for the military."

Caretaker Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan, who replaced Yingluck Shinawatra after a controversial court ruling ousted her this month, has called for fresh elections on August 3.

But the opposition wants vaguely defined reforms first to tackle graft and has vowed to stay on the streets until it has eradicated the influence of the "regime" it says is led from abroad by Thaksin, who lives in self exile to avoid prison for a corruption conviction.

Prayut, 60, has said he invoked martial law to prevent political tensions spiralling out of control following months of deadly anti-government protests, and insists he intends to broker a solution. But critics have branded his actions a de facto coup.