Bangkok:Opposition parties, led by Parit Wacharasindhu of the People's Party, exited a key meeting meant to determine the schedule for a no-confidence debate, citing government interference. The disagreement centered around the inability to set a date for the debate, with Parit advocating for a rescheduled debate in November or December.
According to Thai News Agency, the meeting, part of the Joint Coordination Committee of the House of Representatives, was chaired by Ms. Mallika Chiraphanvanich, First Deputy Speaker of the House. The opposition walked out after failing to reach an agreement on the timing of the debate. Parit criticized the government for pressuring Parliament and attempting to impose specific dates without proper consensus.
Parit expressed concerns about the government's influence over parliamentary proceedings, stating that the Cabinet had not provided a feasible timeframe for the debate. He emphasized the importance of allowing sufficient time for both the opposition to present their accusations and for the Cabinet to respond. Despite initially proposing late October or early November for the debate, the government has not agreed to the opposition's timetable.
The Joint Coordination Committee meeting saw members from the Democrat and People's Parties leave, while others, like the Kla Tham Party, stayed. Parit highlighted the government's systematic efforts to undermine legislative scrutiny, pointing out that the current session's procedures deviated from past practices by allowing majority votes to potentially block scrutiny of government actions.
Efforts to find a resolution remain ongoing, with Parit suggesting that the Speaker of the House should request alternative debating dates from the Cabinet. However, no commitment has been made by the Deputy Speaker, leaving the issue unresolved. Parit continues to question the lack of available dates for the debate, urging a reconsideration of the proposed timeline to ensure transparency and accountability within the parliamentary process.