Chai's Queries Delay Censure Debate; Thailand Poll Plan 'On Track'

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Chai's queries delay censure debate; poll plan 'on track'

By The Nation

The no-confidence motion could not be placed on the agenda in time for the debate to take place next week, House Secretary-General Pithoon Pumhiran said yesterday.

Pithoon said he had sent the motion to House Speaker Chai Chidchob at 2am yesterday but the Speaker sent the motion back to him in the afternoon, seeking verification about some names on the list of motion sponsors.

Since the motion could not be placed on the agenda yesterday, the debate would not be held next week as initially scheduled, the secretary-general said.

Earlier, the coalition and opposition whips agreed to hold the debate from March 9-12.

Political observers said it could have been a ploy of Chai and his son Newin to delay the debate so that Bhum Jai Thai ministers could be better prepared. Four of the party's ministers were among the 10 ministers to be grilled in the debate.

Senate Speaker Prasobsuk Boondej yesterday also sent the impeachment motion filed by the opposition against nine ministers to the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

Meanwhile, the timetable for House dissolution by June remains on track and the early election will take place as promised, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said yesterday.

"I confirm what the prime minister has said, that House dissolution will happen before June," he said.

Suthep said he was obliged to implement the election timetable according to the instructions of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

He dismissed speculation about a call from coalition partners, including the Chart Thai Pattana Party, to delay the poll to the second half of the year.

The Democrat Party was making preparations to kick off its campaign, signalling to every political party to brace for an early poll, he said. He denied there was any link between the poll date and the upcoming censure debate.

Parliament has passed charter amendments on the electoral system and the economy has been revitalised, he said, adding that the last task to complete before the election was to redraw constituencies to comply with the amended provisions.

Once the Election Commission has finished its work on voting zones, the poll date will be announced, he said.

Even though the government's term will not expire until December, Abhisit decided last year that an early poll would be an option to overcome fractious politics, Suthep said.

The prime minister has the mandate to decide on the early poll, he said, ruling out a suggestion that the Democrats should come to a consensus with their coalition partners before dissolving the House.

"In 30 years in politics, I have never seen politicians reach unanimous agreement on the poll date," he said.

Meanwhile, His Majesty the King yesterday signed a royal command to endorse two charter amendment bills. The amendments to Article 190 and the electoral system took effect after they were published on the Royal Gazette yesterday.

-- The Nation 2011-03-05