House Meet Collapses As Thai MPs Quarrel

[webfact]

LOWER HOUSE

House meet collapses as MPs quarrel

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Yesterday's House meeting came to a premature end as coalition MPs started pressuring the meeting chairman about a query posed by an opposition MP intended for the prime minister.

Charoen Jankomol, the first deputy House speaker who was chairing the meeting, adjourned the session at around 1pm - less than four hours after the meeting began.

The opposition Democrat Party blamed the adjournment on a disagreement among MPs from the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

At yesterday's meeting, Democrat MP and former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij was to pose a query about the government's plan to sell shares of the state-owned petroleum giant PTT. The query was meant for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, but Charoen insisted that Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong should answer on the premier's behalf. But since Kittiratt was away on an overseas trip, Charoen asked for the query to be postponed to the next meeting.

However, Korn insisted that his query be answered immediately, and Deputy Finance Minister Thanusak Lek-uthai agreed to respond.

While Korn was posing the question, the state-run NBT television station stopped its live broadcast of the meeting, much to the anger of the Democrat MP. Charoen then decided that Korn's query should be deferred to the next meeting and asked for the House to continue with other items on the agenda.

Pheu Thai MP Cholnan Srikaew protested against Charoen's decision, saying that if Korn's query was postponed, there would be as many as five queries on the next meeting's agenda, which would exceed the agreed number of three queries per meeting.

In response to this, chief coalition whip Udomdej Ratanasathien, also from Pheu Thai, said there would be no problem as the extra queries could be postponed further. However, Cholnan insisted that Charoen decide whether Korn's query should be dropped - a move that was backed by other party MPs.

The meeting chairman then asked his fellow coalition MPs to stop insisting on this matter and allow the meeting to continue. "I have made my decision and I see no reason why you need to defeat the meeting chair," he said.

He then adjourned the meeting at about 1.20pm, several hours ahead of the usual closing time of 6pm.

After the meeting, Democrat MPs Warong Dejkitwikrom and Boonyod Sukthinthai told the press that the meeting had collapsed due to a disagreement between Pheu Thai MPs.

Warong said the prime minister was also to be blamed for frequently failing to respond to queries by opposition MPs. "The prime minister has to respond to queries by the representatives [MPs]. I don't know why she wants to escape the Parliament," he said.

Boonyod said the prime minister should stop setting up appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays, the two days when the House of Representatives convenes, because she should be around to respond to questions.

-- The Nation 2012-01-27

[whybother]

What was the query?

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[OzMick]

"The prime minister has to respond to queries by the representatives [MPs]. I don't know why she wants to escape the Parliament," he said.

IMHO she thinks it better to appear to be a work dodger than an ill-informed amateur. From past experience, I am hesitant to use "recalcitrant".

[JurgenG]

What was the query?

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

Nobody cares.

The Nation was happy to have the opportunity to write "collapse" in its title. They know 90% of their readers stop paying attention if it's not printed in bold large characters.

A storm in a tea cup.

PS : Sorry, I forgot. Pictures of ladies in underwear are also very popular.

Edited January 26, 2012 by JurgenG

[Ricardo]

"The government can't answer these questions, nobody here knows what they're talking-about, Whoops ! Quick, turn off the TV-cameras, before we look like Dummies !"

Yay for True Democracy in-action inaction !

[Buchholz]

.

More trouble at the Parliament as just the day before Pheu Thai Party MP Pheeraphet Sirikul was caught illegally voting with another MP's electronic identification voting card during a House vote.

The other MP was not in attendance and House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon has ordered a probe into the cheating.

Yay for Pheu Thai Party's form of democracy.

.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

What was the query?

Nobody cares.

The Nation was happy to have the opportunity to write "collapse" in its title.

Perhaps you missed the part where the House meeting did collapse.

He then adjourned the meeting at about 1.20pm, several hours ahead of the usual closing time of 6pm.

[Moruya]

Sham PM, shambolic governence. Simple really.

[moe666]

They donot need the Parliament as all decisions are made by Big T and votes are just rubber stamps. I am sure it is called my way or the highway

[beano2274]

.

More trouble at the Parliament as just the day before Pheu Thai Party MP Pheeraphet Sirikul was caught illegally voting with another MP's electronic identification voting card during a House vote.

The other MP was not in attendance and House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon has ordered a probe into the cheating.

Yay for Pheu Thai Party's form of democracy.

.

Actually it is now 8 MP's that voted on a particular item, but were not present at the meeting, however Pheu Thai insisted that even without the MP's being in attendance the vote would have been passed.

[Bakseedaa]

What was the query?

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

Nobody cares.

The Nation was happy to have the opportunity to write "collapse" in its title. They know 90% of their readers stop paying attention if it's not printed in bold large characters.

A storm in a tea cup.

PS : Sorry, I forgot. Pictures of ladies in underwear are also very popular.

Storm in a teacup..... Not... just another example of this governments inability..... Where is Yinluck when the country needs her..? Nail clinic..?

[sparebox2]

"While Korn was posing the question, the state-run NBT television station stopped its live broadcast of the meeting, much to the anger of the Democrat MP. "

Other than the MPs I wonder if the general publice ever notice that there was or wasn't a live boardcast. To be honoest, I (and many people I know) didn't even program my TV set to receive NBT. What a waste of time.

[janverbeem]

It's time they change the acronym for Thailand from LOS ( land of smiles) to LOL ( Land of Laughter)

[Buchholz]

.

More trouble at the Parliament as just the day before Pheu Thai Party MP Pheeraphet Sirikul was caught illegally voting with another MP's electronic identification voting card during a House vote.

The other MP was not in attendance and House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranon has ordered a probe into the cheating.

Yay for Pheu Thai Party's form of democracy.

Actually it is now 8 MP's that voted on a particular item, but were not present at the meeting, however Pheu Thai insisted that even without the MP's being in attendance the vote would have been passed.

Staggering perception of democracy.

We are the majority of MP's so it's ok to break the law as whatever we decide on will have happened anyway.

Why even bother with having personal identification cards if they are passed around like a plate of som tam?

What are the odds of the Pheu Thai House Speaker probing Pheu Thai MP's very deeply?

.

,

Edited January 27, 2012 by Buchholz

[janverbeem]

Boonyod said the prime minister should stop setting up appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays, the two days when the House of Representatives convenes, because she should be around to respond to questions.

It would be actually better if they opened a skype connection with Dubai,so that all questions could get answered right away.

[Buchholz]

The accused's Parliament Profile photo.

I wouldn't buy a car from him.

Pheu Thai Party MP Pheeraphet Sirikul

Edited January 27, 2012 by Buchholz

[Buchholz]

What was the query?

It had to due with the government's plan for selling off PTT shares, but that issue coupled with the illegal Pheu Thai voting issue, and the still other Blacklisted Nalinee issue mentioned here further displays the trouble at Parliament:

House Session Ends Prematurely on Continuous Arguments

Yesterday's House session ended prematurely in the early afternoon due to conflicts over the opposition's inquiry into the appointment of PM's Office Minister Nalinee Taveesin.

Democrat MP for Bangkok Rachada Thanadirek posted an inquiry to the prime minister about the suitability of the appointment of Nalinee Taveesin as the PM's Office Minister.

Since Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was still away on an official visit to India, Rachada wanted to postpone the inquiry until she gets back, as she wants Yingluck to be the one to answer the query.

However, Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit, who has been named the caretaker PM while Yingluck is away, said he is ready to respond, as he is also the Pheu Thai Party Leader.

Deputy House Speaker Charoen Chankomol was also on Yongyuth's side, causing displeasure among Democrat members, particularly Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The Deputy House Speaker tried to have the government and opposition whips discuss the issue but Opposition Chief Whip Jurin Laksanawisit refused.

The argument went on for about an hour, with the Democrats insisting that if the PM is not going show up to answer House queries, she needs to inform the House Speaker in writing as to why she will not attend and when she will be able to make it.

The issue was finally resolved when the House Speaker agreed to postpone the query to next week.

Democrat MP Korn Chatikavanij then questioned the government about the proposed sale of PTT shares.

The PM has assigned Deputy Finance Minister Thanusak Lekuthai to answer the query on her behalf.

Korn pointed out that the privatization of PTT will affect the public's livelihood directly, as it may lead to a hike in the cost of electricity and cooking gas despite the government's reasoning that it is being done to lessen its public debt burden.

He asked why the government is prioritizing window dressing its public debt figure at the expense of the people's cost of living.

When he realized that the live broadcast of the House session on Channel 11 was about to come to an end, Korn asked for the query to be postponed to next week, which was met with protests from the ruling coalition.

The House Speaker put an end to the issue by ending the House session right away.

-- Tan Network 2012-01-27

[JurgenG]

The accused's Parliament Profile photo.

I wouldn't buy a car from him.

Pheu Thai Party MP Pheeraphet Sirikul

Don't worry, you probably couldn't afford it anyway.

[JurgenG]

What was the query?

Nobody cares.

The Nation was happy to have the opportunity to write "collapse" in its title.

Perhaps you missed the part where the House meeting did collapse.

"collapse" isn't the right word

I prefer your latest version

House Session Ends Prematurely

[Buchholz]

The accused's Parliament Profile photo.

I wouldn't buy a car from him.

Pheu Thai Party MP Pheeraphet Sirikul

Don't worry, you probably couldn't afford it anyway.

You can't afford many more flaming posts.

.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Buchholz

[Payboy]

What was the query?

Does wearing this black suit in parliament make me appear smarter to the electorate?

[JurgenG]

The accused's Parliament Profile photo.

I wouldn't buy a car from him.

Pheu Thai Party MP Pheeraphet Sirikul

Don't worry, you probably couldn't afford it anyway.

You can't afford many more flaming posts.

.

Or you will report me ?

Criticizing someone because of his physical appearance is hitting below the belt IMO.

You like to make very nasty, very bad taste comments about members of the government. We are again in a democracy so it should be expected from some quarter. But as soon as you are the butt of a joke, you jump on the report button. As our good friend Samak used to say, if you can't take the heat, don't stay in the kitchen.

Edited January 27, 2012 by JurgenG

[Skywalker69]

The accused's Parliament Profile photo.

I wouldn't buy a car from him.

Pheu Thai Party MP Pheeraphet Sirikul

Don't worry, you probably couldn't afford it anyway.

What an insult, what do you know about Bucholts economi. shame on you.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Skywalker69

[Buchholz]

The accused's Parliament Profile photo.

I wouldn't buy a car from him.

Pheu Thai Party MP Pheeraphet Sirikul

Don't worry, you probably couldn't afford it anyway.

You can't afford many more flaming posts.

.

Or you will report me ?

Criticizing someone because of his physical appearance is hitting below the belt IMO.

You like to make very nasty, very bad taste comments about members of the government. We are again in a democracy so it should be expected from some quarter. But as soon as you are the butt of a joke, you jump on the report button. As our good friend Samak used to say, if you can't take the heat, don't stay in the kitchen.

If you think saying the old and tame cliche' of I wouldn't buy a car from him is somehow "very nasty", you should learn the nuance of old phrases, which I'm more than happy to help with the forum's ESL members. For your knowledge, it's not "very nasty" and is quite commonly used.

Second point is that there is a vast difference between public figures and fellow members in regards to what is allowed.

I don't need to "take the heat" as you say as it's actually expressly prohibited by several forum rules.

.

[Buchholz]

hopefully now we can get back to the topic of the thread...

Democrat MP Korn Chatikavanij then questioned the government about the proposed sale of PTT shares.

The PM has assigned Deputy Finance Minister Thanusak Lekuthai to answer the query on her behalf.

Korn pointed out that the privatization of PTT will affect the public's livelihood directly, as it may lead to a hike in the cost of electricity and cooking gas despite the government's reasoning that it is being done to lessen its public debt burden.

He asked why the government is prioritizing window dressing its public debt figure at the expense of the people's cost of living.

When he realized that the live broadcast of the House session on Channel 11 was about to come to an end, Korn asked for the query to be postponed to next week, which was met with protests from the ruling coalition.

The House Speaker put an end to the issue by ending the House session right away.

Poll: Most against Plan to Sell PTT Shares

According to the latest opinion poll conducted by Bangkok University, an overwhelming 77 percent of respondents oppose the government's plan to sell PTT shares for fear of higher energy prices.

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/tan/ViewData.aspx?DataID=1052064

[TAWP]

Boonyod said the prime minister should stop setting up appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays, the two days when the House of Representatives convenes, because she should be around to respond to questions.

It's very magical, her calender is filled with appointments those days for the next 3.5 years. Nothing she can do about it.

[Skywalker69]

Boonyod said the prime minister should stop setting up appointments on Wednesdays and Thursdays, the two days when the House of Representatives convenes, because she should be around to respond to questions.

It's very magical, her calender is filled with appointments those days for the next 3.5 years. Nothing she can do about it.

Because she cant take a political debate.