BANGKOK, 15 July 2010 (NNT) — A negotiation process between the leaders of the anti-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) and the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader kicked off today. Both sides have been embroiled in defamation suits and counter suits in the past two years.

UDD leaders Veera Musikapong and Natthawut Saikua today traveled from Bangkok Remand Prison to the Criminal Court. The pair was to meet with media firebrand Sonthi Limthongkul, their arch rival, to negotiate an out-of-court settlement of nine defamation suits, filed by both sides against each other during the peak of the protests. Sonthi did not show up but had assigned his attorney, Mr Suwat Apaipak to represent him in the process.

NNT