House-Senate meeting adjourns for lack of quorum

[Lite Beer]

House-Senate meeting adjourns for lack of quorum
Praphan Jindalertudomdee,
Khanittha Thepphajorn
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- A joint House-Senate meeting was adjourned yesterday due to the lack of a quorum with only 319 out of 649 MPs and senators turning up in the chamber.

Parliament President Somsak Kiatsuranont rescheduled the next joint meeting on amending the Constitution from Tuesday to tomorrow.

Despite being present in the chamber, the Democrats did not answer the roll call, and some lawmakers walked out of the chamber.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra attended yesterday's meeting, which was scheduled to start at 10am.

Chief whip Aumnuay Khlangpha said 26 Pheu Thai MPs and 30 coalition MPs were absent yesterday.

Government whip Paijit Sreewarakan said MP Yaowapa Wongsawat, Yingluck's sister, would call a meeting tomorrow morning to give a serious warning to Pheu Thai MPs who were absent yesterday. The charter amendment debate should be completed within the coming week, because there were many other important laws on the agenda.

After the meeting started, Somsak told members there would be a live broadcast of the meeting for some period. Then Democrat MP for Kanchanaburi Chatraphan Detkitsunthorn complained that besides the speakers trying to stop the opposition from talking, the ruling Pheu Thai MPs also made them wait for an hour. He then asked for a quorum check.

Roll call

Somsak said the opposition should not have used that tactic to attack government MPs. However, Pheu Thai MP Phayap Punket supported the request and asked for a roll call. Somsak, instead, ordered a 10-minute break.

The roll call was made and finished at around 1.30pm. Somsak did not announce the results but rescheduled the next meeting before closing the session.

Pheu Thai MP Somkid Chueakong, from Ubon Ratchathani, blamed the government whip for not informing them about the meeting earlier, resulting in many MPs failing to attend.

Some MPs and senators went to visit their constituencies yesterday or had appointments. Some only signed their names and went out, but failed to return in time for the roll call. Democrats said government MPs should not have rushed the charter amendment and scheduled the meeting on a weekend.

Meanwhile, Assumption University's Abac Poll released survey results yesterday that showed about 85 per cent of respondents regarded the incident of an MP throwing a chair as behaviour that negatively affected the image of Parliament. Almost three-fourth of respondents supported an inquiry into the MP's actions.

On Thursday night, Democrat MP Shane Thaugsuban threw a chair in a fit of anger after many Democrat MPs were blocked from speaking during a meeting. He later apologised.

More than 60 per cent of the 1,197 respondents in Bangkok and adjacent provinces surveyed on Thursday and Friday said there should also be investigation into the House Speaker's actions.

-- The Nation 2013-09-08

[Thait Spot]

PTP Commandment

Thou shalt not absent yourself for the Free Thaksin Act sessions.

Probably all watching porn

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Ricardo]

"Some lawmakers walked out of the chamber"

Couldn't be bothered to wait, for the police to arrive and manhandle them away like normal, how impolite ?

Edited September 8, 2013 by Ricardo

[boomerangutang]

"Some only signed their names and went out,"

Thai democracy in action.

[ratcatcher]

"Government whip Paijit Sreewarakan said MP Yaowapa Wongsawat, Yingluck's sister, would call a meeting tomorrow morning to give a serious warning to Pheu Thai MPs who were absent yesterday."

I am sure Yaowappa (she who must be obeyed).will put a bit of stick about and get the absentee members in line.

[Pimay1]

Yingluck's sister, would call a meeting tomorrow morning to give a serious warning to Pheu Thai MPs who were absent yesterday.

Be afraid, be very afraid. I expect the serious warning will involve the subject of no play no pay.

[tomross46]

Government whip Paijit Sreewarakan said MP Yaowapa Wongsawat, Yingluck's sister, would call a meeting tomorrow morning to give a serious warning to Pheu Thai MPs who were absent yesterday. The charter amendment debate should be completed within the coming week, because there were many other important laws on the agenda.

Could it be that there is a faction within the Pheu Thai MP's are tired of being followers of the Shinawatra Dynasty? They might feel that it is not in their own personal interest to remain a pawn, and bow down to the interest of one family.

Though it is good to see PM Yinglock and her sister MP Yawoapa finally show up for work.

[NongKhaiKid]

Absentee members is nothing new and there are regulat reports on how much parliamentary time is lost due to a lack of a quorum. This time was a Saturday too andthe members wouldnot let their weekend be upset by something as mundane as attending a House session.

Even when they are there news videos regularly show the wide open spaces in the seats, members chatting amongst themselves, asleep or on their mobiles and as we know it's not always to make a call !

For the people supposedly running the country they are a sorry bunch.

[Pib]

Maybe those high price, around Bt40K each, digital clocks they installed recently for millions of baht and supposedly hooked to a satellite time link were not working properly--blame the satellite. Or maybe it was because of Friday night hangover, we don't work on Saturday, etc., type reasons. Or maybe it was just the big sale at Big C which a lot of MPs decided to go to instead. Many, many different valid reasons available...but more can be fabricated if needed.

[hellodolly]

Yingluck's sister, would call a meeting tomorrow morning to give a serious warning to Pheu Thai MPs who were absent yesterday.

Be afraid, be very afraid. I expect the serious warning will involve the subject of no play no pay.

Interesting only in office less than 6 months and already giving orders.

[hellodolly]

Can we chalk this no work day up as a good day for Thailand?

[siampolee]

Interesting only in office less than 6 months and already giving orders.

We would all do better if we remembered "that blood is thicker than water, or should it be in reality puppet strings are thicker than blood?''

[hellodolly]

Interesting only in office less than 6 months and already giving orders.

We would all do better if we remembered "that blood is thicker than water, or should it be in reality puppet strings are thicker than blood?''

The question with this puppet is will it switch ends on the strings. This one has teeth.

[khunken]

Interesting only in office less than 6 months and already giving orders.

We would all do better if we remembered "that blood is thicker than water, or should it be in reality puppet strings are thicker than blood?''

The question with this puppet is will it switch ends on the strings. This one has teeth.

This puppet needs ropes not strings.