House Speaker Chuan Leekpai on Wednesday shot down a proposal by an opposition MP calling for a debate on the status of the cabinet after Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha received royal endorsement as the new premier on the same day.
Future Forward Party list-MP Wirat Phantumakul asked the chamber to discuss whether the cabinet -- set up by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) -- was technically dissolved after Gen Prayut was formally appointed as the prime minister.
The new cabinet however, is not appointed yet.
According to Mr Wirat, the permanent secretary of each ministry should serve as acting ministers until a new cabinet is sworn-in.
However, Mr Chuan threw out his proposal, saying Section 264 of the charter allows the NCPO to carry on its duties until new cabinet members are officially installed.
Prior to the meeting, Sorasak Pienvej, secretary-general of the House of Representatives, on Wednesday read out the royal command appointing Gen Prayut as the prime minister to the House.
Mr Sorasak also informed the chamber that Democrat Party list MP Suthas Ngernmuen was endorsed as an MP following the resignation of Abhisit Vejjajiva on June 5. Mr Suthas yesterday took the oath before the House.
Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said the NCPO-appointed cabinet has the full authority under the provisional clause in the charter to conduct meetings and make decisions.
He said the cabinet has work to do including carrying on duties and proposing issues at the 34th Asean Summit this weekend and also the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, on June 27-28. According to Mr Wissanu, the House of Representatives has also prepared a number of interpellation motions and it is the cabinet's duty to respond to the MP's questions.
"The House has prepared questions and it is this cabinet to answer them. The House sees the cabinet as having full authority," he said.