(Vatican Radio) Thailand's Prime Minister has bowed to protestors' demands and dissolved
parliament, calling a snap election. However, protests continue in the Thai capital,
Bangkok.
In a televised statement, Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra said she has
listened to all sides, and has decided to dissolve parliament, triggering new elections
in which Thai voters will decide their future. But protest leaders have dismissed
the move, saying it falls short of their demands to replace the elected government
system with an appointed panel of experts.
On Monday in Bangkok, tens of thousands
of demonstrators remained on the streets. The Prime Minister has rejected their demands
as unconstitutional and undemocratic. Her party is popular with Thailand's rural poor,
while the protestors are largely drawn from Bangkok's middle class. They want to prevent
the return to power of the current PM's brother and former PM Thaksin Shinawatra,
who currently lives in exile, convicted of abuse of office.
On Sunday, the
opposition party said the current electoral system in Thailand means it has no say
in passing legislation in Thailand. It said its deputies would resign their parliament
seats.