On14 January 2014, at 13.20 pm, Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, gave an interview at the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence at Muangthong Thani, on the invitation to all parties concerned to participate in a meeting to consider the Election Commission (EC)’s proposal concerning the general elections. Gist as follows:

The Government agreed with the EC that a discussion is needed to ensure that the general elections proceed smoothly, as the Government plays a coordinating role under the function of the EC. It was necessary to listen to political parties, politicians and practitioners on any operational problems that may arise and take those views into account.

The Government strongly urged the EC to join the meeting, as it is the main responsible body. If the EC can hear directly from concerned parties, it should help in understanding the problems so far, to see how the problems could be jointly resolved through cooperation.

The Office of the Auditor General of Thailand had sent out invitation letters. All concerned should participate at the same time as individual discussions would not lead to a conclusion. The current political situation can be separated into two parts: (1) organization and management, i.e., how to ensure that the elections are held smoothly and (2) legal issues, which would have to be discussed separately.

On whether the reason given by the EC was sufficient for postponing the elections, the Prime Minister said there were two sides to the issue. Apart from its legal basis, the Government also needed to consider the logistical arrangements for the upcoming elections. There are procedures that need to be followed. For example, legal issues are to be discussed first, but if the Office of the Auditor General does not approve the arrangements, the elections cannot proceed. Therefore, all relevant parties should come together to discuss the problems, brainstorm for solutions and share their views on how to move the country forward.

The government would continue its efforts despite the decision of both the Democrat Party and the PDRC not to take part in negotiations. The Government still hoped to see the Democrat Party take part in the upcoming election, as it is the duty of all political parties. The country cannot move forward if political parties refuse to respect the rule of law. The Government acknowledged the demands of the protesters, and believes that their call for reforms was made in good faith. The Prime Minister urged all sides to initiate a dialogue to discuss what and how the reforms will be carried out, or to address concerns over corruption. Such a process would ensure an effective outcome, while current demonstrations would only hurt the country.

With regard to the statement that the PDRC was already looking beyond the elections and its only objective now was to force the Prime Minister to resign, Prime Minister Yingluck said she had repeatedly reiterated her obligation to continue performing her duty as Prime Minister after the dissolution of the Parliament. This was not to maintain political power but to safeguard democracy, which belongs to the people.