Removing motion on Thaksin, Speaker orders

House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha urges the opposition to remove the mention of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from the no-confidence motion to be submitted against Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatraan.

The wording was presented to Mr Wan, who advised opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut that any mention of Thaksin had to be taken out.

Mr Wan said referring the matter to Thaksin, who was not answering in the debate, ran afoul of parliamentary meeting regulation No 176.

But the opposition is unlikely to budge.

Thaksin’s absence from Thursday debate was denounced by Parit Wacharasindhu, a list MP and spokesman of the opposition People’s Party.

He claimed neither the constitution nor parliamentary rules empower the House Speaker with the ability to decide what the no-confidence motion should contain.

In addition, he contended that regulation No 176 does not necessitate amendments to a motion, if its filing process was not sufficiently flawed.

Mr Parit said the motion could not be amended any further as it was filed over seven days ago — the maximum time allowed for changes.

“The House Speaker doesn’t have the power to order a change in this case,” he said.

Mr Parit explained in parliamentary rules, MPs are able to mention third parties as long as the reference is pertinent to their affiliation in national administration.

The censure motion, which is directed only at Ms Paetongtarn, also blames Thaksin for meddling in his daughter’s government affairs.

Set for the end of the month, the no-confidence debate, which the government wants to last a single day — at odds with the opposition’s demand for a five-day discussion — has roiled the new government from the outset.

Thaksin himself has publicly admitted to interfering in government affairs, Mr Parit said.

Mr Wan also warned earlier that an unamended motion could open up lawmakers to defamation lawsuits from the outsider concerned.

It would be unfair for someone not in parliament to be unable to defend themselves, he argued.

Prime Minister’s Office Minister Chousak Sirinil, meanwhile, expressed concern that even if the debate was focused on the premier himself, it could devolve into attacks on cabinet ministers.

Natthaphong had written back to Mr Wan, saying that the opposition would stand its ground and would not change the motion, citing legal privileges, PP deputy leader Sirikanya Tansakul said.

She noted that regulation No 176 simply suggests that debaters refrain from discussing outsiders unless absolutely necessary.

“But if an outsider becomes part of national administration, they have to be mentioned,” Ms Sirikanya said, adding that the opposition is well aware of the legal risks of naming a third party.

Ms Sirikanya appealed to the government not to overreact to the motion.