By The Nation

Finally, the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat abandoned its reconciliatory posture, with an estimated 5,000 police officers storming the Parliament compound with tear gas and rubber bullets in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Again, Thai politics is reduced to the dreaded level of authorities using guns - this time at close-range of the supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy. At least 47 people were injured, three of them seriously, with two victims losing a leg and a foot, another his right hand. At the time of writing, one woman had been killed by an explosion outside Parliament. Obviously, questions are being asked about who was involved? When did the government decide to move on the PAD? What instructions were given to the police?

In the days to come, we will discover the impact on the stability of the Somchai government. Earlier, public support for the prime minister was pretty good because he portrayed himself as a non-confrontational peace-maker. He reiterated that he would follow the rule of law and would not take orders from his brother-in-law, Thaksin Shinawatra, a fugitive in exile in London. So far, he has failed to match his words with deeds on political reconciliation. After an initial round of talks between a representative dispatched by Chavalit, and Chamlong Srimuang, one of the PAD leaders, the public was optimistic there could be light at the end of the tunnel. It turned out to be false hope because, soon after, a ranking PAD leader, Chaiwat Srisuwong, was arrested. On Sunday, Chamlong was also apprehended after he went to vote. From that moment on, it was clear that the chance for further talks had evaporated, and now the four-month political tussle continues.

As the Asean chair, Thailand is preparing for the upcoming Asean summit in December. Continued PAD protests and continued occupation of the Government House would certainly further tarnish the reputation of the host.

It is imperative that ways be found to bring an end to this quagmire. Using force as the government did on Monday will only worsen the current stand-off. If Somchai is not true to his own promises, then he should resign. Continued dialogue and negotiation, no matter how difficult it is or will become, must not stop. In our still fragile democracy, tolerance is pivotal to ensure that the current stand-off ends peacefully.