September 12, 2008
Bangkok - The business sector wanted to see an honest, virtuous and transparent prime minister with good leadership and no conflict of interest.
The People Power Party (PPP) was urged to consider those qualifications when it proposed the former premier or PPP’s member to be the new prime minister.
The new government was also urged to end the political conflict and emergency decree.
The private sector wanted the conflict to end within this month if possible, so that the investment and tourism would not be affected.
Santi Vilassakdanont, president of the Federation of Thai Industries, said it was good a vote on new premier was postponed to September 17, as all parties could have time to think it over.
He also said that confusion and uncertainty would still be with Thailand if Samak became a prime minister again.
Santi thought the new premier needs to be a compromising person who is accepted by the society.
Panithan Wattanayakorn, lecturer at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Political Science, said the political conflict had to be solved by parliamentary process as Thai people already signaled what they wanted.
