Political analysts divided over the censure’s impact

Political analysts said assessments were mixed on the two-day debate, which saw only Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra targeted for censure.

Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a former election commissioner, said the debate on Wednesday was a draw for both the government and the opposition, and that no major turnaround was expected as a result.

Mr Khunpluem said Ms Paetongtarn had a strong supporting team, but her responses were unhelpful and she gave specific information on only the issue of ultrafine dust pollution.

As for the opposition leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, who filed the censure motion, Mr Somchai said he never managed to show how the alleged actions of the government would matter in the big picture and failed to draw the public attention during the opening argument. When reading the closing statement, Mr Natthaphong also passed an opportunity to criticise the prime minister and the government and provided only a summary of the debate instead, he said.

Phichai Ratnatilaka Na Bhuket, a political science lecturer at the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida), on the other hand attributed a well-organised debate strategy to Mr Natthaphong. He said the opposition argument was that the Pheu Thai Party had joined hands with the conservative camp to pull Ms Paetongtarn’s father, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, back to Thailand at the cost of reforms and the public interest.

Allegations raised by the opposition concerning Ms Paetongtarn’s purchases of shares from her family also underlined ethical standards, with the opposition claiming the purchase was an attempt to avoid taxes, as it is unusual for children to buy shares from parents, he said.

Ms Paetongtarn’s gifts, he said, were her keen and sarcastic use of language to shrug off questions, although it blew up against her in the debate, when she should have instead given clear answers, rather than respond in kind.

Yutthaporn Issarachai, a political science lecturer at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, echoed disappointment in the information presented and said memes took priority over substance in the session. He said that although the prime minister performed well in the debate, her replies lacked direct and factual information. The opposition’s performance was disappointing compared with 2019, he said.

The opposition, meanwhile, may have made the mistake of digging in against the prime minister, giving coalition partners a chance to close ranks, Mr Yutthaporn said.

Among the things that have gained the public’s interest, Assoc Prof Pornamarin Phromkert, a lecturer at the humanities and social sciences faculty at Khon Kaen University, mentioned Ms Paetongtarn’s buying shares on behalf of relatives.

By targeting only the prime minister, the opposition succeeded in portraying her as the weak link in the government, he said, and she lost credibility after she used sarcasm instead of addressing questions.