Democrats threaten legal action if Speaker blocks censure, impeachment moves
Khanittha Thepphajorn,
Prapasri Osathanon
The Sunday Nation

A man at Democracy Monument rally site signs a form to support impeachment proceedings against 310 MPs who voted to pass the blanket amnesty bill, which has already been rejected by the Senate.

BANGKOK: -- The legal expert of the Democrat Party has threatened to file for impeachment of House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont if he disallows the opposition's censure debate and the impeachment motion against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

MP Wiratana Kalayasiri said the Democrats had submitted the censure debate and impeachment motion in the same manner as they had on Friday. Somsak's condition that the Democrats must submit documents to justify their attack is seen as a tactic to snoop into the opposition's information.

The Democrats on Friday submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan for alleged mismanagement and abuse of power.

However, Somsak said the opposition had failed to submit accompanying documents to support the impeachment move and allegations related to graft. He said he would consult his legal team before tabling the censure motion and authorising the debate.

"The opposition insists that it cannot hand out the documents to the House Speaker although he has the authority to consider putting the motion on parliamentary agenda. He cannot just use his power any way he wants or follow [someone's] order. He must face legal action in those cases. The Democrats will sign to impeach him and take measures against him as allowed by the law," Wiratana said.

MP Warong Dechgitvigrom said his scrutiny of the government's rice-pledging scheme would be able to bring about a change in the government.

"I have scrutinised corruption in the rice-pledging scheme in censure debates all along, but the government has not come up with any solution," he said. "During this time, we can see that society has been much aware [of the corruption problems]. I believe that this debate, accompanied by pressure from many sectors of society, would bring about a change in the government," he said.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives secretary-general Suwichag Nakwatcharachai has scheduled a meeting of House legal experts tomorrow to discuss whether the opposition can be allowed to scrutinise Yingluck and Charupong over allegations of corruption if they do not submit details of the allegations with the request.

"After the Democrats submitted the motion to House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont, it is deemed that Somsak has received the motion. The next step is to verify the [MPs'] signatures and documents. If they are not complete, we will inform them to fix it, and if they are complete, the motion can be put on the House agenda," a House source, who asked not to be named, said.

Government whip chief Aumnuay Khlangpha earlier said the censure debate might take place from November 22-24.

In 2012, the opposition filed a censure motion against Yingluck and the then Cabinet members. The details of the allegations were submitted to the ad hoc committee to verify documents before the censure debate was started.

In a separate development, anti-government protesters led by former Democrat MP Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday started gathering people's signatures at their rally site at Democracy Monument to start impeachment proceedings against 310 MPs who had voted to pass the blanket amnesty bill.

Another protest group, the Students and People's Network for Thailand's Reform, yesterday marched to pin national flags along the border of the Internal Security Act-imposed area near their rally site at Makkhawan Bridge.

At some points, they were blocked by police but later allowed to pass. A police officer was slightly injured, though.

Anusorn Iamsa-ard, Pheu Thai deputy spokesperson, yesterday ruled out the possibility of a House dissolution or Cabinet reshuffle, saying the Pheu Thai-led government will continue to administrate the country.

The government will dissolve the House only if there is conflict between the executive branch and the legislative branch. He said currently there is no such conflict.

"Even if all of the opposition Democrat MPs resign, the House [of Representatives] will be able to go on," he said.

"Both solutions are not an option now. And it has nothing to do with the ongoing anti-government rally at Rajdamnoen," he said.

-- The Nation 2013-11-17

Seems like PTP is afraid Yingluck is going to make a fool of herself, if the party (Dubai) cannot prepare her for the upcomming questions!!

Just imagine Madame without a manuscript!!

"I thank you three times"

Insane to think that the house speaker is meant to be impartial, yet everything that goes on there just confirms that the speakers are totally controlled.

The dems are doing the right thing and seem to be going the correct way about things by keeping their cards closely to their chest.

They must have some juicy stuff in their evidence if they are not willing to divulge until the debate is in swing. Yingluck and Co must be burning to know what the dems have got on them.

This could be very interesting. I hope they go through with their impeachment of the speakers, because that will blow it all into the open that those meant to be impartial are in fact partial.

The PTP have repeatedly begged the dems that if they have a problem, come fight it in parliament. Well seems like the dems are going one step further. If they can get the key figures out of that government, the rest will be running around like headless chickens.

If the dems can't bring this censure debate and impeachment motion, then there is not a shred of democracy about this country.

Insane to think that the house speaker is meant to be impartial, yet everything that goes on there just confirms that the speakers are totally controlled.

The dems are doing the right thing and seem to be going the correct way about things by keeping their cards closely to their chest.

They must have some juicy stuff in their evidence if they are not willing to divulge until the debate is in swing. Yingluck and Co must be burning to know what the dems have got on them.

This could be very interesting. I hope they go through with their impeachment of the speakers, because that will blow it all into the open that those meant to be impartial are in fact partial.

The PTP have repeatedly begged the dems that if they have a problem, come fight it in parliament. Well seems like the dems are going one step further. If they can get the key figures out of that government, the rest will be running around like headless chickens.

If the dems can't bring this censure debate and impeachment motion, then there is not a shred of democracy about this country.

On Sat 09 November the other newspaper carried an interesting little article on the activities of YL's elder sister.

One of the points raised was the suggestion the the Speaker and his deputies pay VERY

close attention to what Yaowapha has to say.

If, as we can expect, the Speaker jumps all over the censure debate it may be a case of ' only obeying orders ' as once again he makes a mockery of his supposed role.

In the style of his DL in Dubai, " I don't know how to spell Impartiality. "

Seems like PTP is afraid Yingluck is going to make a fool of herself, if the party (Dubai) cannot prepare her for the upcomming questions!!

Just imagine Madame without a manuscript!!

"I thank you three times":w00t:

I had no idea how well connected you are in Dubai. I think that soi41 is a bit closer to home. Anyway it seems childish to think that PM Yingluck lacks confidence. The reality is that she is rather formidable. Perhaps you should seek an audience with her to see if you can hold your own with her :-)

Seems like PTP is afraid Yingluck is going to make a fool of herself, if the party (Dubai) cannot prepare her for the upcomming questions!!

Just imagine Madame without a manuscript!!

"I thank you three times":w00t:

I had no idea how well connected you are in Dubai. I think that soi41 is a bit closer to home. Anyway it seems childish to think that PM Yingluck lacks confidence. The reality is that she is rather formidable. Perhaps you should seek an audience with her to see if you can hold your own with her :-)

Small chance Soi41 will understand anything she will tell him with her " Kentucky " accent.

Seems like PTP is afraid Yingluck is going to make a fool of herself, if the party (Dubai) cannot prepare her for the upcomming questions!!

Just imagine Madame without a manuscript!!

"I thank you three times":w00t:

I had no idea how well connected you are in Dubai. I think that soi41 is a bit closer to home. Anyway it seems childish to think that PM Yingluck lacks confidence. The reality is that she is rather formidable. Perhaps you should seek an audience with her to see if you can hold your own with her :-)

"audience"?

"An audience is a formal meeting that takes place between a head of state and another person at the invitation of the head of state. Often the invitation follows a request for a meeting from the other person. Though sometimes used in republics to describe meetings with presidents, the term is more usually associated with monarchs and popes."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audience_(meeting)

Seems like PTP is afraid Yingluck is going to make a fool of herself, if the party (Dubai) cannot prepare her for the upcomming questions!!

Just imagine Madame without a manuscript!!

"I thank you three times":w00t:

I had no idea how well connected you are in Dubai. I think that soi41 is a bit closer to home. Anyway it seems childish to think that PM Yingluck lacks confidence. The reality is that she is rather formidable. Perhaps you should seek an audience with her to see if you can hold your own with her :-)

Point of order ....

When exactly has PM Yingluck proven to be formidable on her own?

Seems like PTP is afraid Yingluck is going to make a fool of herself, if the party (Dubai) cannot prepare her for the upcomming questions!!

Just imagine Madame without a manuscript!!

"I thank you three times":w00t:

I had no idea how well connected you are in Dubai. I think that soi41 is a bit closer to home. Anyway it seems childish to think that PM Yingluck lacks confidence. The reality is that she is rather formidable. Perhaps you should seek an audience with her to see if you can hold your own with her :-)

When has Yingluck ever had a debate with any one or answered extensive questions in Parliament ?

I don't understand why the focus on whether Yingluck has the chutzpah to stand up to questioning unaided.

If we are talking about a censure debate and if censure/vote of confidence is anything like in other democracies, what she says will be just so much political blah blah / posturing as will anything coming out of the Democrats. It'll just descend into name calling and the only thing that matters (apart from to the types that wet their knickers over the minutiae of political life) is who has the votes.

So who does have the votes? Not a leading question - what's the prediction about how pre-crisis allegiances with allies will work through in any censure debate? I'm an interested but far too casual observer.

It would be nice to see some proper political analysis of what's likely to happen not just repeats of biased political rhetoric that you get from so called journalists in the national press here.

Forgive my ignorance but, If the rules of a proposed impeachment require itemized documentation, then let said rules be followed,

Not oh um they're a secret... and if you don't table them then we'll impeach you also Mr speaker.

I have not read the rules on this subject, so my apology.

Just wondering who they gonna impeach next, the tooth fairy?