Parliament will convene a joint session for a second reading of a draft amendment to the constitution's Section 291 today and tomorrow, amid criticism by the opposition Democrat Party.
Thepthai: Seeking a postponement.
The Democrats have criticised House speaker Somsak Kiatsuranond for rushing the second reading.
They suspect he is trying to get the second reading approved by Thursday, when many Pheu Thai MPs hope to travel to Laos to meet exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Boonyod Sukthinthai, the opposition whip, said a committee vetting the draft had finished its meeting on Thursday at 10pm.
Friday to Monday are holidays marking the Songkran festival, and should be kept free, he said.
He said he would propose that the government postpone the debate to next week.
Democrat MP Thepthai Senpong said he was wondering why Mr Somsak had called a House meeting on the day after the royal funeral ceremony of Her Royal Highness Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda.
The second reading should be postponed to Thursday and Friday because several MPs have only just received the documents needed.
He said this gave the impression that Pheu Thai wanted to push the amendment through parliament before Thursday, so that party members could travel to the Lao capital, Vientiene, to greet Thaksin on April 13, the first day of the Songkran holidays.
Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said 172 MPs wanted to propose changes to the draft.
The party has sought cooperation from coalition MPs who planned to raise similar points, to ensure the debate is as concise as possible.
Udomdej Ratanapien, the government chief whip, said the whip might propose that the House speaker extend the debate to Thursday, if the two-day timeframe proves insufficient.