Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont attends the ‘Think Ahead for Thailand’ forum at the headquarters of the Thai Journalists’ Association yesterday.

Intellectual and respected senior citizen Prawase Wasi yesterday took what he hoped was a first step toward encouraging the country's "silent power" to speak up in a quest for political peace.

He launched the "Think Ahead for Thailand" forum at the Thai Journalists' Association headquarters - the first in a series of gatherings allowing political neutrals to express views on national affairs.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont attended as an observer.

Prawase has privately expressed concern about confrontational politics pushing the country to the brink of violence.

Yesterday's forum was a result of the convergence of those supporting his ideas. News-media umbrella organisations acted as the go-between.

In his keynote speech Prawase described the country's ideologically warring sides as chickens cramped together in a cage. All they can do is draw blood from each other, he said.

"If we don't do anything about it the day will come when we will all die," he said. "The chickens have to fly from the cage; to escape the cramped situation that is putting pressure on all. We need to get out of the cage; free ourselves and start anew."

Prawase hopes to gain support for his campaign from key business councils and federations as well as major professional groups.

He believes there is a "silent majority" supporting neither Thaksin Shinawatra nor the generals who ousted him.

The peace-loving stand of the silent majority is overshadowed by showdowns between extremists.

Prawase believed if neutrals made their voices heard the warring factions would need to listen. However, he does not envision the neutrals should form an ambitious political force.

Rather, he said, they should come together to guide society in a peaceful and constructive way.

"I'm not saying we can't debate or quarrel. On the contrary, we should have a forum where reason and evidence prevails and which serves the ultimate goal of solving conflict through peaceful means," he said.

He and other speakers, including Borwornsak Uwanno, said politics had been driven largely by "fear", not ideology.

While the Thaksin camp was motivated mainly by fear of the assets clampdown, the generals are influenced by the anxiety of political revenge after they return power to the people, the speakers said.

Serious conflict centres on individuals not true ideologies, they said.