Another no confidence motion against Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and five other cabinet members was filed by the Opposition today (Monday), with a censure debate expected later this month or early next.
The motion is the third since the second Prayut administration came to power in July 2019. The prime minister and the other ministers targeted survived both previous motions.
With the failure to contain the currently raging COVID-19 pandemic, the slow vaccine rollout, the economic impacts of the COVID related restrictions and alleged corruption in the management of the pandemic being the focus, the five other ministers being targeted are Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob, Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives Minister Chalermchai Sri-on, Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin, and Digital Economy and Society Chaiwut Thanakamanusorn.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who was targeted in the first two motions, will not be included this time as he is not directly responsible for the issues at hand, said Opposition leader Sompong Amornvivat, of the Pheu Thai Party. Seeking support from government coalition MPs, he said problems during this administration are the most serious.
The process will be the same, with each opposition party having its own list of ministers to target, which must be in line with the Opposition’s common list, while the focus this time around will be the widespread economic suffering, with all the proof sent to them by members of the public, said Move Forward Party Leader Pita Limjaroenrat.
Claiming the prime minister’s legitimacy to rule has expired, Mr. Pita reaffirmed that there is no conflict within the Opposition and, whatever differences his party may have with others, the people will come first.
According to House Speaker Chuan Leekpai, the motion will be checked, to see if it aligns with the regulations, within seven days and then the dates for the censure debate and a no confidence vote can be set.
The government coalition currently holds a comfortable majority in the Lower House.
