Special report: Snap general election in Thailand

    BANGKOK, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Chart Thai Party Leader Banharn Silpa-archa proposed on Monday that the main former opposition parties hold talks with the ruling Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party for national reconciliation after the result of the election is officially announced.

    The Chart Thai Party and the Democrat and Mahachon parties boycotted Sunday's snap general election, leaving caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's Thai Rak Thai party virtually unchallenged in many constituencies.

    The Chart Thai Party held a meeting on Monday to discuss and evaluate the political situation. Barnharn said in response to the high proportion of voters marking the "No-Vote" option on their ballots that it reflected the opinions of some people.

    The campaign to urge people to exercise their right to vote but abstain from the poll could be interpreted to mean that people who ticked "No Vote" did not want the current TRT-led government to return to power, he said.

    Asked if the prime minister should review his promise that he would not return to office if the TRT got less than 50 percent of the vote when a large number of people voted for no parties, Banharn said the issue should not be discussed now but should find the way out to end rifts and to promote reconciliation.

    The opposition coalition and the Thai Rak Thai party needed to talk to break the deadlock, he said, urging all parties to wait for the official election results.

    However, Banharn stressed that he would not agree to be a mediator for the negotiation.

    The embattled premier dissolved parliament on February 24 and asnap election was held on April 2. Enditem