Chaturon Urges Prime Minister to Avoid Dissolving Parliament Amid No-Confidence Debate Concerns

Bangkok: Chaturon Chaisang, a Pheu Thai Party list MP, has expressed hope that the Prime Minister will refrain from dissolving Parliament to sidestep a no-confidence debate. He emphasized that the opposition's actions serve as governmental scrutiny rather than retaliatory measures. All parties, he noted, agree on the necessity of convening an extraordinary parliamentary session to expedite constitutional amendments ahead of any censure debate, thus preventing the potential abandonment of the constitutional draft. According to Thai News Agency, Chaturon shared his thoughts via Twitter regarding the Prime Minister's statements on the timeline for dissolving Parliament. He questioned whether the Prime Minister intended to adhere to the previously announced schedule or if an earlier dissolution was being considered to preempt a no-confidence motion. Chaturon raised concerns about the Prime Minister's remarks suggesting that the no-confidence motion might be viewed as revenge rather than a legitimate performance evaluation by the opposition. He argued that the opposition is obligated to file a no-confidence motion if the government causes harm to the country, without being accused of acting out of revenge. He further explained that the timing of filing the motion depends on two main factors: the availability of relevant information and the progress of the constitutional amendment. Chaturon stressed that the opposition aims to avoid the excuse of dissolving Parliament, which could jeopardize the constitutional amendment. Efforts are underway to expedite the amendment process, allowing time for the no-confidence debate before any potential dissolution. A consensus among major political parties supports convening a special parliamentary session, achievable with a one-third majority in both houses. Chaturon concluded by urging the Prime Minister to avoid dissolving Parliament to ensure the constitutional amendment is not rejected. He also called for collaboration between the Prime Minister and the Bhumjaithai Party to support the passage of the constitutional amendment through parliamentary approval.