Top Thai judges heed royal call to tackle crisis

BANGKOK, Apr 26 (Reuters) Thailand's top judges are to meet friday to find a solution to the country's political crisis in response to a rare intervention by revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The three main opposition parties, whose boycott of an inconclusive snap April 2 general election made it unlikely parliament will be able to meet to begin the process of forming a new government, were to hold talks today.

Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais), the party of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra who called the snap election in hopes of ending a street campaign to oust him on charges of corruption, cronyism and abuse of power which he denies, was also to meet.

The subject was the intervention of the long-reigning king yesterday in which he summoned senior judges to his seaside palace to tell them he could not produce a solution to a crisis.

The king, due to celebrate his 60th anniversary on throne on June with gala festivities, told judges in meetings broadcast on television the election boycott had produced a undemocratic one-party parliament.

''It is impossible for a democratic election to have one party, one man. One candidate does not equate with democracy,'' he said.

Nor, the king said, could he heed calls by the opposition parties and street campaigners to appoint a neutral prime minister to steer the country through political reforms to a new election.

MORE REUTERS KD KN1153