A total of 29 hours will be allocated for a two-day debate on the government's policy statement in parliament, starting on Monday, according to parliament president Wan Muhamad Noor Matha.
He was speaking after a meeting yesterday with government, opposition and Senate whips to discuss the timeframe for the debate.
Mr Wan, who also serves as House speaker, said the debate on Monday will be held from 9am until midnight and the next day, it will start at 9am and run until 11pm. The cabinet will be given five hours to spell out the policy statement and respond to questions, while senators will be given five hours to debate it.
Five hours will also be earmarked for government MPs to debate it, while opposition MPs will be given 14 hours, Mr Wan said.
"Two days should be enough for the debate, and all sides will have to manage their allotted times and the line-up of speakers. I believe the debate will not exceed the set timeframe," Mr Wan said.
"I hope the debate will proceed smoothly... Any protests outside parliament will not do any good," he said, referring to a feared gathering of anti-government demonstrators.
He also said that the opposition parties have assured him that they will act in line with regulations governing the debate and will not take advantage of the occasion to censure the government as in a no-confidence debate.
Adisorn Piengkes, a Pheu Thai MP for Si Sa Ket who serves as chief government whip, said yesterday that the parliament session is for the government to give its policy statement, not for a censure debate.
He also said Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin did not give any special instructions to government MPs to act as guards to protect the government and counter the opposition.
Chaithawat Tulathon, a list MP and secretary-general of the opposition Move Forward Party (MFP), which has 151 MPs -- the largest number in parliament -- said yesterday that the party has 30 MPs ready to debate the government policies.
The debate will cover all aspects, including political, economic, social and public welfare issues, he said.
He also said that the details of the government's policy statement are vague and disappointing. It is not clear whether the government policies can offer any hope to the public and how they can be achieved as no definite timeframe is given, Mr Chaithawat said.
According to sources, the MFP debate line-up will include Mr Chaithawat, and other party-list MPs such as Rangsiman Rome, Sirikanya Tansakun, and Parit Wacharasindhu.