Opposition to file no-confidence motion against PM, cabinet members

The opposition Democrat Party has resolved to lodge a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and several other members of his cabinet within the current extraordinary parliamentary session, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva announced Sunday.

The Opposition party planned to submit the censure motion to House Speaker Chai Chidchob so that it could possibly be put in the floor debate within the current extraordinary session, scheduled to last until the end of this month.

Mr. Abhisit charged that the People Power Party-led coalition government had deliberately slowed down the 2009 Budget Bill until the last week of this month only to avert the censure debate.

The Opposition leader said the planned censure debate, which is to be followed by votes of confidence either for or against the Samak Administration, will be lodged on grounds that the premier and several of his cabinet members had had failures which he said should be considered detrimental to the country and the people’s interests.

Among the alleged failures held accountable by the Samak government was the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority’s plans to procure 6,000 NGV-fueled, air-conditioned buses and decommissioning of non-air-conditioned buses, according to the Democrat party leader.

All Democrat MPs were obliged to sign the no-confidence motion at parliament Tuesday (June 17), he said.

The Democrats’ latest move against the Samak government emerged after the premier had earlier rejected the desperate call for him to endorse an earlier-sought general debate which might have been scheduled under the constitution’s article 179.

Mr. Samak earlier explained that floor debate on the budget bill would likely be such a time-consuming session that there would be no time left for subsequent debate.

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