Gen Chavalit 'accepts responsibility', resigns

Deputy Prime Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh submittd his resignation by letter to Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on Tuesday as an act of "showing responsibility" for the events that took place on Tuesday morning when police attempted to disperse protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy, resulting in up to 93 protesters being injured, according to a National News Bureau report.

Gen Chavalit said his initial efforts were aimed at developing a negotiation process between the PAD and the government in order to "assure orderliness and security" at the parliament. However, his efforts at negotiation attempts "didn't go as planned" after witnessing all the occurrences that took place over the past two days, the report adds. In light of this situation, the report says, Gen Chavalit "would like to personally take responsibility" for his inability to keep his promises, thereby resigning from the post of deputy prime minister. - National News Bureau, Agencies.