By Thai Newsroom Reporters
A CENSURE DEBATE AGAINST Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is very likely to be held by the end of August as the opposition plans to lodge an urgent motion for that matter on August 16 involving his alleged fiasco in handling the pandemic situation.
The seven-party opposition bloc will hold a meeting on August 10 to finalise their censure debate plans focusing on Gen. Prayut who concurrently heads the government-run Centre for the Covid-19 Situation Administration and his alleged failure to adequately and more timely procure coronavirus vaccines resulting in sustained surges in daily infection cases and fatalities.
Besides the premier, some other cabinet members might also be grilled under censure debate which is to be followed by votes of confidence and votes of no confidence at parliament the next day, according to Phumtham Wechayachai, secretary to Opposition Leader Sompong Amornvivat.
Traditionally, censure debate is put on the House agenda within two weeks of a motion for it being submitted by the opposition to the House speaker, thus tentatively scheduled around the end of August.
The premier might practically be forced to either dissolve parliament or resign if he was given fewer votes of confidence than those of no confidence.
Meanwhile, the premier has been continually pressed by varied political activist groups to step down in the face of his alleged mishandling of the nationwide pandemic situation.
Another mass protest in pursuit of Prayut’s resignation has been planned to be held on Bangkok streets later this week, following August 1’s demonstration which highlighted a ”car mob” procession cruising and tooting horns outside the First Infantry Regiment barracks on Vibhavadi Rangsit road, the premises within which is located the house of the army chief-turned-premier.
Anti-Prayut activist groups such as Free Youth group, led by Parit ”Penguin” Chiwarak; Sombat Tour group, led by Sombat Boonngam-anong; and Red Shirt demonstrators, led by Nattawut Saikua; are expected to spearhead the next ”car mob” protest.
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Top: The Thai Parliament meeting chamber. Photo: Siam Rath
Home Page: Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. Photo: Siam Rath
