Further updated: King speaks, apparently doesn’t say much

AP reports that the king “has spoken out for the first time during a political crisis, telling newly appointed judges that they should perform help restore peace to the country. In his speech, given Monday at the hospital where he has been for more than seven months, he did not directly address the deadlock between the government and protesters seeking its removal. The king told the judges that they should set an example by carrying out their duties because it would show that officials are committed to keeping the peace. The government has been accused of failing to keep order when faced with the militant protesters.”

This comes just after the Democrat Party’s dissolution case was sent to the Constitutional Court.

Update: This rambling speech seems to have been reasonably similar to earlier rambling and sometimes inaudible speeches to judges. It will be interpreted in various ways, including as telling the government and military to sort out the red shirts (“do their duty”). PhuketWan has one interpretation of the king’s speech, seeing it as a comment on the on-going political crisis. AFP has a report on the speech also. And, the ABC and Bangkok Post think the king didn’t address the current political crisis, while the NYT thinks he skirted the issue.