Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday that the government has refrained to use force to break up Bangkok's Rajprasong rally because the demonstration was just a part of the problem.
Speaking during his weekly TV program, Abhisit said the government's goal is to return normalcy to the country so the government has to consider all connected moves of the red-shirt movement before taking actions to solve the overall problem.
This is not just about Rajprasong. We want to solve the whole problem, Abhisit said.
Abhisit on Saturday rejected the red-shirt protesters' precondition for him to agree to dissolve the House of Representatives within 30 days.
The 30-day deadline is not an issue. House dissolution must be done for the benefit of the whole country, not just for the red shirts. And it must be done at the right time, he said.
The anti-government "red-shirt" protesters, led by the United Democratic Front against Dictatorship (UDD) has started from March 12 as they are now gathering at Bangkok's Rathchaprasong Intersection.
They have demanded Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve the lower House of parliament and hold a new general election.