Opposition party members must not mention Thaksin.

If the censure debate is to take place as early as March 24, the opposition has to amend its position to no later than March 19 and without mentioning any outsiders, House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said yesterday.

He was alluding to the former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is considered the de facto overseer of the ruling Pheu Thai Party.

Mr Wan told opposition leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut that any mention of the father of current premier Paetongtarn Shinawatra must be omitted from the motion as it was improper according to parliamentary rules and the constitution.

But the Joint Opposition has formally objected to this request already, said Arpath Sukhanunth, secretary-general of the House of Representatives, yesterday.

The working team in the House found that no previous censure motions had ever directly named any outside individuals; however, other terms — including “family members” or “former members” — had been used, Mr Arpath said.

He cited one case in 1986 in which a company name was invoked, and noted that parliamentary privilege afforded complete immunity and thereby blocked a lawsuit.

“The House Speaker will not bring the motion before the House unless the opposition makes amendments. House Speaker, [Mr Wan] claims he will be held full accountability,” added Mr Arpath.

The House Secretariat will inform opposition leader to do the amendment prior the 19th of March so the debate can happen on the 24th of March.

“Which parliamentary rule prevents the mentioning of people outside parliament?” said Pakornwut Udompipatskul, a People’s Party list-MP and chief opposition whip.

Mr Pakornwut insisted that the motion in question had adhered to all the rules and protocol but that the opposition was still willing to explore how to seek a resolution.

“A senior MP has informed me that during one debate at the House many years ago on the Asian financial crisis [which originated in Thailand in 1997], an outsider was in the House because his name could be mentioned, hence the rule is not a complete bar against mentioning an outsider’s name,” he said.

Ms Paetongtarn said her father had only inquired casually whether he could be referred to in a session of the House as an external person, rather than being named directly.