<div><br />A proposal of six independent agencies for naming mediators to solve Thailand’s prolonged conflict on Tuesday has prompted a group of activists to protest the move, seen by many as controversial and partisan.&nbsp;</div> <p></p>

<p>Well it’s a full house here at the Impact Arena for the live televised debate between Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Suthep Thaugsuban, head of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee.&nbsp; There’s a few minutes to go before that starts so I’ll turn to Khun Somchai here.&nbsp; Khun Somchai, explain to the viewers, what is the background to this debate?</p>

<div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Nitirat, or Enlightened Jurists, a group of law academics from Thammasat University, Bangkok, on Sunday condemned the Election Commission (EC) for intentionally delaying the by-elections for the MPs, and pointed out how parliamentarians or citizens can remove Election Commissioners from office.&nbsp;</div> <div> </div>

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<p>Election Commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham says that it is entirely up to the Political Party Registrar to decide whether he will resubmit the dissolution case against the Democrat Party, as the EC has no such authority.&nbsp; A red-shirt leader plans to file charges against the Political Party Registrar for malfeasance.</p>

<p>Nowadays, the failure of one public institution after another is disillusioning more and more Thais - something that could turn Thailand into a dysfunctional society or a failed state.</p>

<p>On 17 April, Election Commissioner Sodsri Sattayatham commented on the vote of Apichart Sukhakkhanon, Chair of the Election Commission, not to dissolve the Democrat Party in contrast to the other four commissioners.</p> <p>She said that Apichart wore two hats, as the Chair of the EC and as the Registrar of Political Parties. &nbsp;As Registrar, he had appointed a 9-member working committee to deal with the Democrat case on his behalf.</p>