Prayut plays down censure offensive

Prayut plays down censure offensive

Better debate format needed, says PM

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha prays at the Government House spirit house before chairing a cabinet meeting on his first day back at work after the New Year holidays on Thursday. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha prays at the Government House spirit house before chairing a cabinet meeting on his first day back at work after the New Year holidays on Thursday. (Photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha defended his five-month-old government against a planned no-confidence motion by the opposition targeting five cabinet members.

"Don't rush to say this government has problems. We've been working for just five months," Gen Prayut told reporters on Thursday when they asked him about opposition plans to grill him and four other cabinet members.

The premier led cabinet ministers in a swearing-in ceremony in the presence of His Majesty the King on July 16, almost four months after the general election last year.

Despite Gen Prayut's concerns that the government hasn't been in office long enough to justify such a move, the Pheu Thai-led opposition insists it cannot wait any longer to file a no-confidence motion.

It says it has discovered many alleged irregularities in the Prayut government.

The party has outlined four key issues to be raised in the censure debate and selected between 10 and 15 MPs as speakers.

"We've considered who will do the job and their names have been sent to the party leader for approval," said Pheu Thai adviser Paradorn Pattanathabut, who is also secretary of the special affairs panel led by Chalerm Ubumrung.

Pheu Thai cites as reasons alleged policy corruption by ministers while serving in the previous coup-installed government, multiple alleged conflicts of interest, allowing close associates to act improperly and other wrongdoings.

However, Gen Prayut said some issues are irrelevant to the current government and demanded the party come up with a better debate framework.

"Leave alone the previous [post-coup] government," he said. "Don't mix things up as it will [unfairly] damage what we've done."

MPs have a right to keep the government in check but such a move should not be based on personal dislikes, the prime minister added.

Besides Gen Prayut, who is also the defence minister, the opposition bloc has zeroed in on deputy PMs Wissanu Krea-ngam and Somkid Jatusripitak, Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda and Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai.

"It's fine," Gen Anupong said on Thursday when asked for his reaction to the no-confidence motion targeting him. Everyone who works with the government must be always prepared, he said, "not to answer [MPs'] questions but to perform their duties under the law".

Gen Anupong said he welcomed the opposition's use of parliament to hold the government to account. That is the proper place to express their doubts and dissatisfaction, he said.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (13)