Move to censure Yingluck
Thai PM faces no-confidence motion
BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra faced a no-confidence debate launched by her opponents in parliament, a day after political protests turned violent here.
But the motions, which also target three other government ministers, appeared to have little chance of being passed by a legislature dominated by Yingluck’s Puea Thai party and its coalition partners.
“The prime minister has failed to govern this country as promised. She allows corruption,” Democrat Party opposition MP Jurin Laksanavisit said at the start of the debate, which is scheduled to last for three days.
“She also allows outside people to influence her and control her administration,” headded, inathinly veiled reference to Yingluck’s brother, ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Yingluck, whois accused by her rivals of being a puppet for her fugitive brother, told reporters she was “confident” her government could defend itself.
Her six-party ruling coalition, formed after Puea Thai’s decisive election win in June 2011, controls about three-fifths of the seats in the lower house.
The debate, which is due to be followed by a no-confidence vote on Wednesday, kicked off a day after riot police clashed with anti-government protesters in Bangkok.
Police fired tear gas and made 138 arrests after a group of demonstrators tried to force their way through a fence on the edge of the main protest site with the help of a truck.
General Boonlert is already dead. I have lost to evil. — BOONLERT KAEWPRASIT
Police said they had freed 137 of the 138 detained for breaking a special security law invoked to deal with the unrest. The driver of the truck was retained in custody for further investigation.
National police spokesman Piya Utayo said security officials would propose lifting the special law, the Internal Security Act (ISA), today subject to Cabinet approval.
Meanwhile, retired General Boonlert Kaewprasit said he called off the protest because the number of participants were fewer than expected. He blamed this on efforts bby authorities and police to prevent many prospective protesters from taking part. He did not want the pprotesters to risk “further violence” at the hands of police following clashes between the two sides.
Police estimated the number of protesters at 20,000, while organisers put the figure at 50,000. Earlier, Boonlert had vowed that his protest would draw one million people.
Boonlert, leader of the Pitak Siam group, said that all over the country, supporters of the protest were blocked from travelling along the main roads to Bangkok, such as Phetchakasem, Sukhumvit and Phaholyothin. He also said he was concerned about the well-being of protesters at the Royal Plaza and in adjacent areas after police fired several tear-gas canisters at them. He added that signs that bullets had been fired were also found at the protest site.
Boonlert said he would not lead such a street demonstration again and that it would depend on others in the anti-government movement whether there would be a new leader.
“General Boonlert is already dead. I have lost to evil,” he said in an emotional announcement on the protest venue’s main stage under heavy rain.
He added that the protesters who were arrested during the clash with police would get legal assistance. — The Nation / Asia News Network / AFP