House bedlam comes in for scathing criticism

However, many consider the filibuster tactic employed by the opposition as acceptable. The Democrats put up strong opposition to a crucial amendment, which would potentially decide that all future senators must be elected. Scrutinising important amendments in early stages in a row with other key bills proved to be perhaps a wrong decision by the Pheu Thai-led coalition and the government whip. They agreed to allow this bill to be put higher up on the agenda reportedly after heavy lobbying by elected senators, whose terms will end next March.

A senior Pheu Thai source said all the senators, especially those elected who are friendlier to Pheu Thai, wanted to know their future as soon as possible. They offered to support any future bills or amendments proposed by the Pheu Thai-led government if this amendment was taken up early. "If they can run in a future general election after the amendment is complete, Pheu Thai anticipates support from up to 70 [Pheu Thai-friendly] senators in return, from all 150 senators," the source added.

The amendment contains several conditions in favour of elected senators, especially on allowing their spouses, family members or relatives, or those of any politician, to run in a future senatorial election. However, the 73 appointed senators whose terms will end in the next three years, and who are not allies of Pheu Thai, disagree with these conditions, and strongly oppose this amendment along with the opposition Democrats.

Core Pheu Thai leaders originally agreed that the 2014 Budget Bill and a borrowing bill for Bt2 trillion for infrastructure projects be a priority, but underestimated the Democrat Party’s stance on this. "We did not think the Democrats would use such tactics to disrupt the debate on the senator-related amendment, which should have taken one or two days, so we agreed to put it higher up on the agenda, the source said.

The Pheu Thai-led government put important bills and amendments in a tight order on the agenda: the controversial amnesty bill on August 7; the 2014 Budget Bill on August 14, which has been halted and would be discussed again on August 23; and the senator-related amendment on Tuesday.

Pheu Thai MP Udomdej Rattanasathian, an adviser to the government whip, echoed the source’s account on the lobbying by the elected senators. He said Pheu Thai might allow the Democrats and appointed senators to debate against the amendment for another day today, and possibly again next week.

Chaiyan Chaiyaporn, a lecturer on political science, said filibuster – a technique by minority MPs used to stall issues they are opposed to – was a rightful tactic and widely practised in parliaments worldwide. He said both Parliament President Somsak Kiatsuranont and Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanij, as the presiding speaker, lacked knowledge about such a practice and skills to maintain order.

Another lecturer, Pornsant Liangbunlertchai, said he considered the "tyranny of minority" more worrying in that chaos. While not defining the phrase coined by him, he said "political play without conscientious care" would affect the functioning of the legislative branch as a whole.

Somsak, who chatted jokingly with reporters, said he was "a bit bored" with the commotion during Monday’s session, apart from "being a bit tired", but "did not have a headache".

Opposition whip chief, Democrat MP Jurin Laksanawisit, said what had disgraced Parliament was not the protests by the Democrats but the deployment of a company of riot policemen near Parliament, which he said was an intimidation of lawmakers.

Pol Maj-General Parinya Chansuriya, a deputy Metropolitan Police commissioner, said yesterday that city police do not go inside the Parliament compound except when requested by Parliament police.

The line of the command starts with the Parliament president and they have clear procedures to follow.

Pol Maj-General Vichanvat Borirakkul, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, said a Parliament police officer, Theerasak Promsila, 41, had filed a complaint at Dusit Police Station that on Tuesday he was maintaining order in the meeting chamber when he was slugged by an unidentified MP and developed red, swollen bruises.

He had already had the injury checked at Phramongkutklao Hospital but had not fingered anybody.

Pol Maj-General Thitirat Nongharnpitak, another deputy commissioner, said his agency was contacted to deploy riot-control police on Tuesday after commotion disrupted the debate. The unit, however, stayed outside the Parliament compound.

Metropolitan Police have set up a situation-monitoring centre, so dispatching riot-control police to Parliament House could be done quickly.

Riot-control police will be stationed until the Constitution amendment bill passes its third reading, he added.