Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has acknowledged the possibility that she might not endure the entire first day of a no-confidence debate against her, noting that the session could extend until 5:30 am the next day.
The censure debate is set to occur from Monday to Tuesday.
Opposition parties have been granted 28 hours to interrogate the prime minister, while the government and its cabinet have been allocated seven hours to respond to the inquiries. An additional two hours are reserved for the House Speaker and his deputies to manage the proceedings.
When asked whether she could remain until 5:30 am on Tuesday, Ms. Paetongtarn expressed doubts about her ability to stay for the entire session, mentioning she would need to go home to rest to gear up for the debate’s second day.
Regarding the opposition’s decision to exclude the name of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from its censure motion, Ms. Paetongtarn indicated that her father had no comment on the matter.
She dismissed allegations from the opposition about “secret deals” made during her government’s term, including those pertaining to Thaksin’s release, asserting that such deals did not exist.
“There are no such deals as claimed,” she said. “They [the opposition] may be trying to add a bit of color to make things more interesting.”
She remained confident about the unity within the coalition parties and their support for her during the censure debate.
Opposition leader and People’s Party (PP) leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut highlighted that the debate would scrutinize Pheu Thai Party transactions that allegedly favor family interests over national concerns.
He anticipated that the debate would feature a range of references beyond “a family member,” with the revised motion allowing discussion of other relatives potentially involved with the prime minister.
The term “a family member” has replaced Thaksin’s name in the censure motion.
“We believe the government does not place national interests first. It prioritizes the Shinawatra family’s interests,” Mr. Natthaphong said.
He noted that the topics to be discussed during the debate would provide detailed information typically not shared with the media.
While this information might not directly lead to the prime minister’s dismissal, it could form the basis for legal challenges that might eventually result in her removal, he explained.
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, deputy leader of the PP, criticized Ms. Paetongtarn for her decision not to attend the entire first day of debate until 5:30 am.
“It was the government whip who proposed that the first day of the debate should continue until 5:30 am. But the PM will not remain with other parliament officials on duty,” he said.
Mr. Wiroj also condemned the Pheu Thai’s strategy to deploy 20 party MPs to ensure the opposition adheres to parliamentary procedures during the debate, arguing that this undermines the prime minister’s authority.
The no-confidence motion, submitted to the parliament president on February 27, specifically targets the PM, accusing her of poor leadership and alleging undue influence from her father in government affairs.
Ms. Paetongtarn declared her readiness to respond to all inquiries during the censure debate, stating that ministers would address relevant questions.
