PAD leaders will no longer lead rallies

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2013
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PAD leaders will no longer lead rallies

People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders announced on Friday night that they would give up their role in leading political rallies as doing so would only risk them violating their bail conditions and not bring any real changes.

In its "last statement" read by a spokesman at the ASTV studio, PAD said it had proposed that all Democrat MPs resign and join a mass protest led by the yellow-shirt movement to prove their sincerity in introducing an overhaul in Thai politics, which it dubbed "Reform of the Country". However, it said, the Democrats refused to join.

It added that ousting this government would only result in a vicious cycle, as Pheu Thai would be voted in and would return. The Democrats, on the other hand, possibly refused to join PAD’s political reform because it hoped to return to power, it said.

The PAD, a former Democrat ally, said the party was partially responsible for its problems in Thai politics and was an obstacle to the "reform". It said the Democrats should be held responsible for any future problems.

The PAD leaders were present in the studio.