PM defers trip for censure bout

PM defers trip for censure bout

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has postponed a retreat with her Singaporean counterpart next week to take part in the no-confidence debate against her, government spokesman Teerat Rattanasevi said yesterday.

Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra walks down from Thai Khu Fah building at Government House yesterday. She later chaired a Defence Council meeting which discussed security preparations ahead of anti-government protests tomorrow. CHANAT KATANYU

The opposition Democrat Party submitted a motion for a censure debate against Ms Yingluck and Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan last Friday.

Mr Teerat said the debate is expected to begin on Tuesday in the House of Representatives, with a vote pencilled in for late Wednesday, the last day of the current parliamentary session.

Ms Yingluck had been scheduled to attend a two-day prime ministerial retreat in Singapore from Monday, but has now postponed the trip until January.

Chief government whip Amnuay Khlangpha said yesterday a total of 25 hours, plus breaks, had been allocated for the no-confidence debate between midday on Tuesday and midnight on Wednesday.

"Twenty-five hours should be enough, but if there is a need the timeframe could be extended until 1am or 2am on each day. This mean the debate could take up to 30 hours," he said.

Mr Amnuay said he had already informed chief opposition whip Jurin Laksanavisit about the timeframe, but Mr Jurin maintained that the opposition needs three days to grill the government.

Government spokesman Teerat also reported yesterday that next week's cabinet meeting will be held on Monday instead of Tuesday to avoid overlapping with the censure debate.

Mr Teerat, however, said a mobile cabinet meeting due to take place on Friday and Saturday in Songkhla will go ahead as planned, adding that officials are already in the area preparing.

The prime minister will on Friday preside over the opening of the "Thailand 2020" exhibition in Songkhla's Hat Yai district, after which she will visit the Thai-Malaysian immigration checkpoint in Sadao district before returning to Songkhla town to attend the meeting of the Public-Private Consultative Committee.

The following day, she will chair a cabinet meeting at Songkhla Rajabhat University.

Mr Teerat's confirmation comes amid a series of cabinet ministers and Pheu Thai politicians being confronted by anti-government protesters blowing whistles when visiting other provinces.

The latest victim was Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Phurisisak, who was greeted by a group of whistle blowers while inspecting a tourism site in Satun province on Thursday.

Mr Somsak said he would suggest the cabinet cancel its meeting in Songkhla - the Democrats' political stronghold - to avoid possible unrest.

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