A special House meeting will need to take place on Tuesday to deliberate an executive decree postponing enforcement of key provisions of the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, said Chinaworn Boonyakiat, a Democrat Party MP in his capacity as deputy chief government whip, yesterday.
House Speaker Chuan Leekpai has scheduled the meeting to begin at 9.30am, following a consensus reached between the government and opposition whips on the urgency of deliberating the decree, said Mr Chinaworn.
However, if the opposition submits a petition to the Constitutional Court asking the court to rule whether the decree is legitimate or not, deliberation plans will then have to stop, he said.
And even if that is not the case, the government parties, in particular, are still being encouraged to ensure the planned meeting won't have to be adjourned due to a lack of quorum, he said.
In the event this decree is voted down, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha will have to take responsibility for having approved and submitted the decree to the House, he said.
The most likely option here is that the PM will announce the dissolution of the House because if he resigns, the cabinet will lose its right to serve as caretaker cabinet, he said.
"Personally, I don't quite agree with this decree as it will impact the rights and freedom of the people, particularly those living in the three southern border provinces," he said.
Julapun Amornvivat, a Pheu Thai Party MP for Chiang Rai in his capacity as an opposition whip, meanwhile, said Mr Chuan had yet to arrange the meeting as of yesterday, leaving next Tuesday, the last day of the House's four-year term, as the only option left.