There is no reason to dissolve parliament now and the Democrat Party and its coalition partners will continue working together to move the country forward, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Thursday.
Asked if he thought the Democrat-let administration would last beyond March because of the split over constitutional amendment, Democrat leader Abhisit said he was confident it would survive that long and that it could last a lot longer than that.
Mr Abhisit insisted that his party had not defaulted on the agreement made with its coalition partners and had never promised it would support changes to the charter.
Finance Minister and Democrat key member Korn Chatikavanij said the government was still stable, even though the Democrats decided not to join their coalition partners in a parliamentary motion to amend the charter.
Mr Korn said the government will not call a snap general election, as some people speculate, because it has several important tasks to complete, especially the injection of money into the system to stimulate the country’s economy.
The minister was confident there would not be another coup, as it would be unacceptable to the international community.
However, Chart Thai Pattana Party adviser Somsak Prissanananthakul accused Mr Abhisit of ignoring the agreement made with the coalition partners before the formation of the Democrat-led government.
Mr Somsak said his party would not clear up anything with the prime minister and that the coalition partners had been deceived.
Mr Somsak on Wednesday submitted an open-letter to the premier stating that the Democrat Party had, before forming a coalition administration, promised to support changes to the 2007 constitution.
The veteran politician insisted that his open-letter was not a threat to the prime minister or the Democrats.
“I just wanted to point out that Mr Abhisit is ignoring the agreement made with the coalition partners.
“The premier had asked the parliament and the parliamentary committee for reconciliation, political reform and constitutional amendments to make a study on charter changes, but now he has decided against it.
“If the premier does not want to change the charter, he should have informed his coalition partners of this in the first place,” Mr Somsak said.
Asked about Mr Abhisit's assigning Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti to mediate talks to clear up the rift with the coalition partners, Mr Somsak said he personally thinks it is not necessary to clear up anything.
“But If Mr Abhisit wants to meet me, I will go to meet him,” he said.
Mr Somsak did not say whether his party would allow its MPs a free vote at the conclusion of the parliamentary debate on the opposition's motion of no-confidence in the prime minister.
Newin Chidchob, leader of the Friends of Newin faction inside the Bhumjaithai Party, refused to comment about the Democrat decision not to support the charter amendment motion.
He told reporters to ask Interior Minister and party leader Chavarat Charnvirakul.
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