Each Time House Meeting Collapses Through Lack Of Quorum ‘8.2m Baht Is Wasted’

[webfact]

 

AFTER the House of Representatives meeting yesterday (Aug. 31) was adjourned through a lack of quorum, a Move Forward MP calculated that each time this occurs over 8.2 million baht is wasted, Sanook.com said today (Sept. 1).

 

At yesterday’s meeting Palang Prachrath MP for Chachoensao  Mr. Atthakorn Sirilatthayakon had tabled a motion on solving low shrimp prices. However Move Forward MP for Bangkok Mr. Piyarat Jongthep asked for counting of House quorum after noticing that very few MPs from parties in the coalition government were present.

 

A check by pressing a button to certify presence at the meeting showed less than half of the 498 performing MPs were present, leading to House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha to adjourning it until next Thursday.

 

by TNR Staff 

The House of Representatives meeting chamber. Top photo: NNT

 

Full story: https://thainewsroom.com/2023/09/01/each-time-house-meeting-collapses-through-lack-of-quorum-8-2m-baht-is-wasted/

 

-- THAI NEWSROOM 2023-09-02

 

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[mark131v]

Good drills!

 

Play them at their own game.....

[2baht]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

A check by pressing a button to certify presence at the meeting showed less than half of the 498 performing MPs were present,

Not unlike construction laborers, though they cost less and achieve more! ????

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

A check by pressing a button to certify presence at the meeting showed less than half of the 498 performing MPs were present,

Those found to be absent should have their salaries docked.

[IAMHERE]

The MPs that aren't present, do they get paid? Are they part of the 8.2m costs?

[JoePai]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Those found to be absent should have their salaries docked.

Not just in Thailand but also in other countries

[VincentRJ]

The full story implies that the Move Foreward Party was responsible for the 'lack of quorum' because they didn't press the button. Here's the quote from the full story.

 

"A check by pressing a button to certify presence at the meeting showed less than half of the 498 performing MPs were present, leading to House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha to adjourning it until next Thursday."

 

"While 150 Move Forward MPs were present, they did not press the button to certify their presence."

[Sydebolle]

Bottom line is simple "8.2 million baht is the going price for keeping the shrimp prices low" and the decision makers (to burn the 8.2 million) did not even see a single lower-priced shrimp either ????????????????????????

[bamnutsak]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Mr. Atthakorn Sirilatthayakon had tabled a motion on solving low shrimp prices.

 

Wow!

 

Tackling the big issues right out of the box.

 

Let me guess, the MP wanted the government to subsidize shrimp farmers?

 

Low prices benefit consumers, and potentially prevent over-farming/fishing. I know nothing about shrimp farming, but I'm guessing it's not that great for the environment? I understand Thailand exports a lot of shrimp, but Parliament doesn't have much control on global pricing/demand.

 

 

11 minutes ago, VincentRJ said:

"While 150 Move Forward MPs were present, they did not press the button to certify their presence."

 

Again, this is pure incompetence on the part of the Speaker. He could call for a roll call voice-vote on "present".

 

IMO, they should halt all Parliamentary business until the new government if officially installed.

 

 

Dumpster fires are more productive than this edition of Thai Parliament.

 

 

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

Why was this not a headline when the last government kept on closing parliament through the lack of a quorum.

It is being touted as if this is something new.

Suddenly the MFP are the bad boys?

I do not think so.

[ikke1959]

8,2 cost for a lack of quorum of unwilling working MP's, but there is no money to raise the daily wages or pensions for the elderly... Maybe let the costs be paid by the MP's who create the lack of quorum... It will soon be over

[damian]

Am I correct that MFP should have registered their attendance but they didn"t?

 

Why did they do this?

 

[bradiston]

A brief summary of his calculation follows below:

– Salaries of the House Speaker, Deputy House Speakers divided by 31 days, averages 10,968 baht a day;

– Salaries of MPs, senators and their teams divided by 31 days totals 5,921,129 baht a day;

– Travel expense (real cost refundable);

– Electricity and water expense based on  data from 2020 totals 1,609,848 baht;

– Location expenses calculated on the cost of running a large dining hall for 500 people, parking for 900 vehicles, 12 other rooms, Internet fees and salaries of cleaning staff, car park attendants and security guards.

All this adds up to a loss of 8,291,945 baht each time the House meeting collapses, Sasinan wrote but signed as “The People”,

 

These look like standing costs, incurred whether or not the MPs turn up. 1.6m a day for water and electricity? 6m a day for salaries? Nothing to do with lack of quorum.

[Srikcir]

3 hours ago, damian said:

Am I correct that MFP should have registered their attendance but they didn"t?

 

Why did they do this?

 

Because they didn't attend.

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Why was this not a headline when the last government kept on closing parliament through the lack of a quorum.

It is being touted as if this is something new.

Suddenly the MFP are the bad boys?

I do not think so.

Feb. 2022 & Dec. 2021

"Opposition Pheu Thai MP Julapun Amornvivat told the House that it is the responsibility of the government, not the opposition, to ensure there are enough legislators to make up a quorum in the meeting chamber."

https://www.thaipbsworld.com

 

As I understand, the new PM wants a way for the House to in effective prevent further failed quorems. That would eliminate what little political power the opposition coalition has in the House.

Might as well then be called a civil coup?

 

 

[Mavideol]

me thinks the new government will have trouble governing... stabbing MF on their back was not a good idea, payback it's coming, revenge tastes much better served cold, PT should have respected Thai people's choice

[bradiston]

36 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Because they didn't attend.

They did attend. They were almost all present. But they didn't "log in" so to speak.  A form of protest. They showed up, unlike their counterparts in government, but refused to make up the quorum while most of the government MPs couldn't be bothered. Serves the stupid lazy smug coalition MPs right. KK made their point effectively and precisely.

[damian]

4 hours ago, bradiston said:

They did attend. They were almost all present. But they didn't "log in" so to speak.  A form of protest. They showed up, unlike their counterparts in government, but refused to make up the quorum while most of the government MPs couldn't be bothered. Serves the stupid lazy smug coalition MPs right. KK made their point effectively and precisely.

Thanks for the clarification bradiston. 

[NeoDinosaw]

17 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Those found to be absent should have their salaries docked.

In the  UK  very few MPs  are found in the chamber.   They are all doing other duties to help their costituents  .........     I know that 'cos I have heard some of them say this - so it mut be true.