Government coalition parties must do all they can to help the Prayut Chan-o-cha administration to carry on working until the end of its tenure, Anutin Charnvirakul, leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, said yesterday.
Mr Anutin, who also serves as deputy prime minister and public health minister, downplayed a report saying that coalition party MPs would vote against Gen Prayut in the upcoming no-confidence debate.
He said the prime minister is not concerned about the outcome of the vote or how the debate would play out.
The prime minister said he was confident in responding to any questions from the opposition," Mr Anutin said. "All cabinet ministers will have to do their homework to respond to the opposition."
Asked if Bhumjaithai MPs would break ranks by voting against some cabinet ministers from other government coalition parties, Mr Anutin said: "Have we ever done that?"
The party will hold a meeting for its MPs to thrash out differing opinions before the debate commences, he said, adding they will have to respect and follow the party line.
"It boils down to the co-existence of government parties," he said. "Voting against the party line will cause endless problems for government parties and politics will become unstable."
"There are only about 10 months left before the government's tenure expires," he added. "We must try our best to carry out our duties."
Cholnan Srikaew, leader of the opposition Pheu Thai, said it plans to table a no-confidence motion against the government after the amendments to two organic laws for a new, dual-ballot election are submitted to parliament for second and third readings.
The censure debate is likely to be held in late June or early July, he said.
A parliamentary committee examining the amendments is expected to submit them to parliament on May 24.