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Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra has admitted that on September 2 he had a meeting with a few ambassadors, Puea Thai deputy leader Plodprasop Suraswadi and a leading political figure including some members of the 111 former Thai Rak Thai Party Chaturon Chaisaeng, Pongthep Thepkanchana and Kraisak Choonhavan, a Democrat MP for Nakhon Ratchasima.

He said that he was called upon by the Switzerland’s ambassador to Thailand where he went for dinner although there was no one present from the United Nations as stated, although Mr. Kraisak stated that people from UN were present at the meeting.

However, the Bangkok governor said during the meeting no one mentioned the peace plan proposed by the opposition Puea Thai party last week.

“When I was about to leave the meeting, Mr Plodprasop had handed me the peace plan. I only accepted it and did not make any comment because I thought he only wanted to inform me about the plan. Before Puea Thai’s announcement of the plan, no one sought my opinion towards the plan. I also did not discuss with anyone about the plan and if that was the case I would have to report to the Prime Minister anyway,” Mr Sukhumbhand said.

The Bangkok governor could not respond to the media what would be the political implications of the Puea Thai Party’s peace plan. He said they need to find an answer from Puea Thai and the media may have a misunderstanding towards the matter. He added that peace talks for reconciliation are a good idea.

Yesterday a source in Puea Thai said that the United Nations (UN) coupled with some foreign ambassadors are deeply involved in the ongoing peace and reconciliation talks talking place between the 2 conflicting factions in Thailand’s political spectrum.

The source said that UN officials and several foreign ambassadors are said to be helping in the direct talks on national reconciliation plan issued by the opposition Puea Thai Party last week.

The five-point peace proposal has been discussed secretly after the April 10, 2010 bloody incident with the mediation of the UN and 4-5 foreign ambassadors, the acknowledgment of Puea Thai and the Democrats along with prominent figures and representatives from the army, a source of a Puea Thai core leader reports.

The talks involves Plodprasop Suraswadi, deputy leader of the Puea Thai Party, Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the Democrats spokesman Buranat Samutaruk, are reportedly the people who have knowledge of the talks which is aimed at bringing peace and finding an exit way to the political stalemate.

All sides participating in the discussions also agreed to separate the issues of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s charges and the investigation into the deaths of red shirt supporters   from each other in the talk plan, the Puea Thai source says.

“The five-point proposal which was issued by the executive members of the party last week was already approved by the party chairman Gen Chavalit. The proposal will be then discuss in a meeting of its MPs today to seek their approval. If the party’s MPs agree with the plan, the party can proceed with the plan by setting up a team of representatives to negotiate with the government,” the same source stated.