Thai PM, "red shirt" fail to agree after more talks

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and three anti-government leaders have again failed to reach a concrete agreement, without any more talks planned. During a second day of talks, the two sides could not agree on the time frame to dissolve the lower House of parliament.

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, second right, Chamni  Sakdiset, Democrat Party deputy secretary-general, far right, and  Kobsak Sabhavasu, secretary of prime minister's office, third right,  talk with anti-government leaders Weng Tojirakarn, from left,  Veera Muksikapong and Jatuporn Prompan during their negotiation  to find a way to restore peace and minimize the chance of violence  in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March 29, 2010.(AP photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Abhisit Vejjajiva said, "You asked me to dissolve the house immediately and then changed that to 15 days, so I'm going to tell you my reasons. Dissolving the house within 15 days will not be able to solve the problem because we had been discussing it and thought about it but I'm willing to hold the election before my term ends."

The red shirts' core leaders still insist the House be dissolved within 15 days, saying it's the only solution to the political conflict. But Abhisit outlined three conditions before he would dissolve the lower House.

He said House dissolution could possibly occur within nine months or by the end of the year after a draft of the 2011 fiscal budget, constitution amendment, and the poor political climate are settled. Abhisit noted that it will take time for the government to conduct a national referendum to ask the Thai people what points on the constitution needed to be amended. The draft of the 2011 fiscal budget is essential to further shore up the country's economic recovery.