Thailand Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is offering to hold a referendum on the opposition’s idea of replacing the Democratically elected government with an appointed council of vaguely described “good people”.

The opposition party deepened Thailand’s political crisis by resigning en masse from parliament in protest of Yingluck’s government, which they claim is somehow illegitimate. 

“The solution to our current problems needs to start with the showing of responsibility,” said conservative Democrat leader and former premier Abhisit Vejjajiva, “The prime minister has never showed any responsibility or conscience.”

The Democrat party is giving up its 153 lawmakers seats in parliament, that’s less than one-third of the 480 seats in the lower house of parliament.  Yingluck’s populist Pheu Thai party holds a commanding majority.  The protesters demanding the government resign are mainly wealthier and middle class Thais.