Trade groups offer to facilitate rivals' meet
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Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade willing to get parties round negotiating table
The Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand have offered themselves as coordinators among all players in the political conflict in an effort to find a solution to the current impasse.
Concerned that the political tension will continue and could escalate into violence, the two organisations have urged all sides to sit down at the negotiating table before any decision is made on the dissolution of Parliament.
“The organisations see the dissolution of Parliament as part of a democratic solution, but if no talks are held before the decision to take such a course is made, the political conflict will merely repeat itself in the future,” Issara Vongkusolkit, chairman of the TCC and the Board of Trade, told a press conference yesterday.
Kalin Sarasin, secretary-general of the chamber, revealed that 60-70 per cent of its members believed that the government should dissolve Parliament to ease the political conflict.
“The Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand will coordinate with others in the private sector and respected institutions such as educational and media organisations to find a mediator that is acceptable to all political sides. We also insist that the mediator should be an institution, not an individual,” Issara said.
The chairman said members of both bodies believed the protesters had the right to demonstrate under the rule of law, but they would not accept any actions that could lead to violence and bloodshed.
“Any problem can be solved through negotiation if all sides are willing to talk openly to each other. All political conditions and suggestions should also be put away before sitting down at the negotiating table, to lessen the heightened tension between all parties. The most important thing is to keep in mind the benefit of the nation as a whole,” he said.
On the economic side, Kalin said the effect of the political turmoil on the export sector was still minuscule as companies continued to fulfil previous contracts, but if the problem were prolonged it would certainly worsen the situation for exporters.
