A proposal by three small parties for the House of Representatives to arrange an extraordinary meeting to discuss possible responses to the escalating anti-government flash mobs by university students has received a mixed response.
The Thai Civilised Party, Prachatham Thai Party and Tairaktham Party on Monday submitted the proposal to House Speaker Chuan Leekpai, reasoning that anti-government sentiment is intensifying and action should be taken to avoid the situation spiralling out of control.
The three parties cited the violence and loss of life that occurred in the Oct 14, 1973, Oct 6, 1976, and May 14, 1992 incidents to support their request for a House debate on the student activism currently being ramped up at several universities. The flash mobs come in response to the Constitutional Court ruling to disband the Future Forward Party, an opposition party highly popular among young voters.
Mongkolkit Suksintharanon, leader of the Thai Civilised Party, said an extraordinary session appeared to be an ideal solution to this issue as all sides would be able to formally discuss in parliament the best way to defuse the conflict.
The next regular House session, due to begin in the next three months, is too far away, he said.
Dr Sukit Atthopakorn, an adviser to the House of Representatives, said neither he nor Mr Chuan agreed with the idea.
However, under Section 123 of the constitution, one-third of MPs may petition the speaker for an extraordinary session of the House if they think there is a sound reason to hold one, he added.
Democrat Party MP Thepthai Sennapong said he had no objection to the proposal but thought it would be better to allow the existing House committee tasked with studying charter amendments to include a student input in this process
Senator Kamnoon Sidhisamarn agreed with the extraordinary House session idea, saying that would be a way of, at the very least, demonstrating parliament's sincerity in getting all sides involved in the controversy talking to each other.
"Although not all opponents [of the government] will see this sincerity at first, a number of them will. So will those who aren't with any side," he said.