Censure debate to proceed

The opposition's no-confidence debate will begin today as planned after the anti-government Pitak Siam group ended its street protest yesterday.

Prompong Nopparit, spokesman for the ruling Pheu Thai Party, said a party meeting yesterday called on all Pheu Thai MPs to attend the censure debate in the House.

The debate is scheduled for today and tomorrow and a vote will be taken on Tuesday.

All MPs and their staff were told not to carry any weapons or dangerous objects to the House meeting even if they held firearms licences, Mr Prompong said.

The parliament will be under heavy security watch during the debate, he added.

First Deputy House Speaker Charoen Chankomol said parliament security would conduct thorough searches of all vehicles and people entering the compound during the censure debate.

He urged all MPs attending the debate to give full cooperation.

"For the time being there are no worrying incidents. I don't think there will be any incident that will sabotage the debate," he said.

"The clashes that took place [yesterday] between anti-government demonstrators and police are unlikely to be used as an excuse by coalition government MPs not to attend the debate."

Parliament officials were ordered to closely monitor and assess the Pitak Siam group's protest, he said.

Government chief whip Udomdet Rattanasathian said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and other cabinet ministers to be grilled by the opposition were well prepared for the debate.

A government working group has also helped gather information for use during the debate, he said.

Mr Udomdet said he believed the targeted ministers, especially the premier, were not unduly concerned. He was confident Ms Yingluck could clarify all issues.

If anti-government protesters surround parliament during the censure debate, the parliament president had the authority to order the House meeting to be dissolved if any risk was posed to MPs, the government chief whip said.