Poll 'charade', says Thaksin

Thaksin called in foreign reporters in Singapore to attack the junta's election roadmap and called for talks with the military regime. (File photo)

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has moved against the military regime by calling for talks and branding the regime's election roadmap a "charade".

Thaksin, in self-exile, gave interviews to the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal from Singapore, published online Sunday.

Thaksin told the Financial Times he has been quiet too long.

"I offer any kind of discussion or talk. I'm ready," he said, adding that he did not set any conditions for the proposed talk.

He told The Wall Street Journal the election plan is "a charade to show the world that Thailand is returning to democracy". He likened the regime's plan to pre-reform Myanmar where there would be a prime minister but without real power.

His interview came nine days after his sister and former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra invited foreign media to her house.

National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) spokesman Col Winthai Suvari declined to comment Sunday. But an NCPO source said the moves by Thaksin and Ms Yingluck show they are struggling to maintain their diminishing influence in Thai politics.

The source said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would not accept the proposed talks as he maintains Thaksin must return to Thailand for court sentencing in his conflict of interest case. Indirect talks have been held with Thaksin asking him to support the NCPO's political roadmap which he has not done, the source said.

The Pheu Thai Party and Democrats both joined critics of the controversial plan to enact a national strategy bill, calling on the military-sponsored government to leave it in the hands of "new, younger generations".

The pro-Thaksin party is the latest to criticise the bill designed to formulate a framework for state policies for a period of 20 years. Earlier, Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva expressed concerns over a move to enact it this year, following the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA)'s vote in its favour last Tuesday.

Pheu Thai's economic team wants the Prayut Chan-o-cha government to review the move as the direction of the country should be mainly devised by "new, younger generations and an elected government", Anusorn Iamsa-ad, acting deputy Pheu Thai spokesman, said Sunday.

The bill paves the way for the formation of a national strategy committee. Its 25 members include the prime minister, the NRSA chairman and the National Legislative Assembly president. Its duty is to draft the first 20-year national strategy.

Mr Anusorn said the long-term strategy may not fit in with rapid changes in the world, especially in the economic area, which has been hit by the effects of a sharp drop of oil prices for two years.

However, government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd played down the worries and quoted the prime minister as saying the proposed national strategy only says what to do broadly. "It only tells everyone where their country will go. It is not a command," Maj Gen Sansern said. Other developed countries also have national strategies as a guideline.

"The prime minister believes politicians who devote themselves to the country will not view this [national strategy] as a hindrance," Maj Gen Sansern said.

Meanwhile, 90% of respondents say the new charter should attach importance to people's participation in working out a national strategy, according to an opinion survey by the National Institute of Development Administration, known as Nida Poll.

The Nida Poll was carried out between Feb 15 and Feb 17 among 1,250 people.