Thailand's opposing political sides urged to nominate mediators

Six independent organizations of Thailand on Monday asked the caretaker government and anti- government protesters to nominate mediators to broker talks between the two sides.

In a joint statement, they asked caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Suthep Thuagsuban, secretary general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee, to each name 10 people as mediators.

Ten people will then be chosen out of the 20, five for each side, before a mediation team is set up, according to the statement.

The six organizations include the Election Commission (EC), the National Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman, the National Anti-Corruption Commission, the Office of the Auditor- General, and the National Economic and Social Advisory Council. They expect to receive a reply from both sides within a week.

Initially, there were seven organizations that attempted to bring the opposing sides to a negotiation table, but the Office of the Attorney General has withdrawn.

The withdrawal of public prosecutors will not affect the efforts, EC member Somchai Srisutthiyakorn earlier said, adding the National Economic and Social Development Board and the Law Reform Commission are being invited to join in.