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Thai Opposition Leader Calls Again for PM Resignation


Thailand's opposition leader and former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva speaks during a news conference at a hotel in Bangkok, May 3, 2014.
Thailand's opposition leader and former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva speaks during a news conference at a hotel in Bangkok, May 3, 2014.
The leader of Thailand's opposition has refused to commit his party to upcoming general elections, calling once again for the resignation of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said Saturday that Yingluck and her caretaker Cabinet should step down and make way for an appointed interim administration that would oversee a debate on political reforms. A referendum would then be held on the proposed reforms, with elections held six months later.

The opposition boycotted and disrupted an election held in February. This week, Thailand set a new election date for July 20, though the proposal still needs to be endorsed by a royal decree.

Yingluck's government has been only partly functional since December when she dissolved parliament and called for the February election.

The opposition wants to remove the influence of the Shinawatra family from Thai politics.

Yingluck's elder brother, Thaksin, was prime minister for five years until 2008, when he was ousted in a military coup amid massive anti-government street protests.

He is in self-imposed exile to avoid being imprisoned on a corruption conviction.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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