The ruling Pheu Thai Party has shrugged off the call by the opposition People's Party for a dissolution of the House, saying the PP appeared to have mistaken differing opinions on a proposed charter rewrite as a rift serious enough to prevent Pheu Thai from continuing to lead the coalition.
"That won't affect the coalition's stability. It's business as usual despite the impasse," said Pheu Thai MP Sutin Klungsang.
Following collapses both on Thursday and Friday of joint sittings to deliberate amendments to Section 256 of the 2017 charter, opposition and PP leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut called for the House to be dissolved. The meetings collapsed for a lack of a quorum, which resulted when insufficient government MPs turned up.
Mr Natthaphong cited a "lack of unity" within the coalition, which he said had resulted in the joint sitting collapsing.
"Differences in opinions are normal, Pheu Thai still can lead the coalition and implement its policies," countered Pheu Thai list MP Anusorn Iamsa-ard. "The government will serve its full four-year term, don't worry. And the opposition should have not made a fool of itself by calling these rumours a crisis," Mr Anusorn said.
Mr Sutin said Pheu Thai would petition the Constitutional Court to clarify if a referendum is needed before the charter can be changed. "The court's new ruling will help break this deadlock," he said.
Government MPs remain divided over whether the ruling is needed due to ambiguity in the wording of the of 2021 court ruling which said a public referendum must be held before initiating a charter drafting process, he said.
Pheu Thai's legal team was now busy planning arguments to first secure the backing of parliament to go back to the court and seek a definitive final ruling, Only then can the the party proceed with debate on the charter rewrite bills proposed by both Pheu Thai and the People's Party, Mr Sutin said.