Anutin concedes House dissolution decree drafted, waits to set date

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul admitted on Wednesday that the government has drafted a royal decree to dissolve the House of Representatives, and indicated he would wait for the right timing to enact it.

Anutin was responding to reporters’ questions about the date of House dissolution when he attended the second reading of the charter amendment bill at Parliament on Wednesday morning.

Asked whether the government had already drafted a royal decree to effect the House dissolution, Anutin nodded without saying a word.

But when asked whether he would adhere to the initial date for House dissolution on January 31, Anutin replied: “It [House dissolution] is under the authority of the prime minister.”

When reminded that he had told a meeting of heads of government agencies on Tuesday that the House might be dissolved sooner than January 31, and asked whether he was simply waiting to fill in the dissolution date in the draft decree, Anutin replied: “Yes, we are waiting to see the situation and the right timing.”

Anutin appeared irritated when told about criticism that he had announced Bhumjaithai election candidates during the party’s meeting on Tuesday. Reporters noted that critics said the prime minister should focus on national issues while Thailand was engaged in border conflicts with Cambodia.

Anutin replied that Bhumjaithai holds a party meeting every Tuesday to prepare for contesting the next election, and that he had merely announced the party’s resolutions.

He said those who criticised him were “people out of jobs” and were playing non-constructive politics. “Those who criticised this were people who still cannot make up their minds after losing their government posts,” he added.