Opposition parties will meet on Friday to discuss the scope of a censure debate tentatively planned for March, opposition chief whip Pakornwut Udompipatskul said on Tuesday.
Mr Pakornwut, a list-MP of the People’s Party (PP), said the meeting would be at the Thai Sang Thai Party headquarters with key figures from all opposition parties expected to participate.
The outcome of the discussion would be announced at a media briefing, which would be followed by a dinner.
He said the timeframe for the no-confidence debate had yet to be finalised. It depended on further talks between the government and opposition whips and the parliament president, but was likely to be in March.
Mr Pakornwut said more talks were necessary to settle how long the debate would last and when exactly it would be held.
Asked if the debate would include issues around Thaksin Shinawatra, sarcastically dubbed by some critics the spiritual leader of the government, Mr Pakornwut said Thaksin was not a target yet.
However, any action he takes that breaches the law or the practice of fair governance could see him become one.
The debate would deal with a wide range of topics, from the government’s handling of national security to the present economic situation, he said.
Afterwards, the opposition may also petition independent organisations to look into any allegations of misconduct thrown up by the debate, he said.
He dismissed the notion that this censure debate might be a little too soon as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra had taken office only recently. He said the Pheu Thai Party-led coalition had been in office for almost two years and several cabinet ministers had been in the same position for more than a year already.
“More importantly, the two prime ministers from Pheu Thai more or less pursue or have the same set of policies,” the opposition whip chief said.
He was referring to former prime minister Srettha Thavisin and Ms Paetongtarn.