Pheu Thai to ‘unmask’ PM, cleanse ‘contamination’ late this month
Ruling coalition and opposition whips agreed in principle on Wednesday to hold a general debate late this month during which the opposition plans to attack the administration Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, House Speaker Chuan Leekpai said.
The House’s legal officials affirmed that the opposition motion calling for the debate is legal, so he will put the debate on the House’s agenda soon, Chuan said.
On December 28, the opposition submitted a motion seeking to hold a general debate in Parliament on Prayut’s government, with Pheu Thai Party leader Cholnan Srikaew saying the opposition plans to “unmask” him ahead of the next election and cleanse the country of the “contamination” he has caused.
The opposition cited Section 152 of the Constitution as the basis for its motion, which was submitted to Chuan by Cholnan.
Section 152 says: “Members of the House of Representatives comprising not less than one-10th of the total number of the existing members of the House of Representatives have the right to submit a motion for a general debate to inquire about facts or recommend issues without a resolution to be passed.”
Chuan said on Wednesday that Deputy House Speaker Suchart Tancharoen would hold another meeting with whips from both sides to find out how many days each wanted for the debate in order to agree upon its date.
Normally, such a debate would last two or three days, Chuan said.
The whips replied that the cannabis and hemp bill would not take many more days, as deliberations are now on its later sections so his proposal was dropped.
Chuan said he would not call special House meetings on Fridays for fear that not enough MPs would show up to reach quorum.
Chuan added that the House and Senate would hold joint meetings on January 10 and 11 to deliberate two education bills and a charter amendment bill sponsored by the Pheu Thai Party.
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