BANGKOK, Oct 19 (TNA) -- Thailand's powerful army chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda on Sunday encountered Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat for the first time after the army chief and other military leaders pressured him to resign to show responsibility for the police actions for the bloodshed in dispersing protesters nearly two weeks ago.Mr. Somchai, who also holds the defence minister's portfolio, met Gen. Anupong at Sunday's rehearsal for the royal funeral of HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana, the King's elder sister, to be held November 14-19.
The embattled prime minister refused to quit after Gen. Anupong publicly asked him last Thursday on nationwide television to resign to show responsibility over the police crackdown on protesters of the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy on October 7 which left two persons dead and nearly 500 others injured.
Declining to disclose to journalists what issues he had discussed with the prime minister, Gen. Anupong simply said he had already spoke out his mind on the military stance over political situation in the country. He said Mr. Somchai was "not worried about anything".
As for Mr. Somchai, he said he had not yet spoken with military leaders on the border conflict with Cambodia and he would talk to them later after receiving full information.
There is still no timeframe set for talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and officials are preparing to fix the date for him to meet the Cambodian government leader, said Mr. Somchai.
Two Cambodian soldiers died and seven Thai soldiers were wounded during the clashes last Wednesday on disputed border area near the ancient temple of Preah Vihear.
Both countries have agreed to joint border patrols aimed at preventing a repeat of the deadly clashes near the temple but implementation has not yet started. (TNA)
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