Thailand's PM threatens to dissolve parliament

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra threatened to dissolve parliament if a standoff with his opponents escalates further, but rejected calls for his resignation, a spokesman said yesterday.

The remarks came a day after Thaksin's influential political mentor, Chamlong Srimuang, called for him to quit and announced he will join a mass anti-Thaksin protest next weekend.

Thaksin called an emergency Cabinet meeting on Sunday night after Chamlong's announcement, and told his ministers ``he will not resign, but if the situation deteriorates, he will dissolve the parliament,'' government spokesman Suraphong Suebwonglee said.

A move to dissolve parliament would lead to new elections.

Chamlong, a former politician who invited Thaksin into the politics, continued his attack yesterday saying Thaksin ``no longer has the legitimacy to run the country.''

Asked about Chamlong's stance, Thaksin responded, ``What will be will be.''

Thaksin said the government will submit a motion next month requesting a joint sitting of the upper and lower houses of parliament to discuss the ``political crisis.''

``It is the duty of government to explain to the public. I don't know whether it will lessen the political tension or not,'' Thaksin said.

He has come under fire over his family's 73.3 billion baht (US$1.9 billion) sale of its controlling stake in telecom giant Shin Corp.