The opposition on Wednesday formally submitted a motion seeking a three-day general debate, billing it as the first evaluation of the coalition government’s work performance.
So far, the Srettha Thavisin administration has not even begun honouring its promise to urgently implement the core policies it announced in parliament over six months ago, said Chaithawat Tulathon, leader of the Move Forward Party (MFP).
The opposition leader joined representatives of other opposition parties, including the Democrat, Thai Sang Thai and Fair parties, in submitting the motion to parliament president Wan Muhamad Noor Matha.
Mr Wan said the debate would be scheduled to take place before the current parliament session ends on April 9.
A general debate gives opposition parties a forum to raise issues of public concern but does not carry the same weight as a censure debate, in which votes on ministers’ performance can be held.
Senior Move Forward members have said that it is too early in the government’s term to hold a full-blown censure debate.
More than six months since the Pheu Thai-led coalition took office, it remains unclear how the government will carry out its policies, which were supposed to ease the economic hardships of the public, said Mr Chaithawat.
These policies include solving the debt problems of businesses and individuals, bringing down high energy prices, stimulating the economy, resolving differences of opinion over amending the constitution, and restoring public confidence in the rule of law, said the opposition leader.
Worse still, the coalition has faced accusations of turning a blind eye to abuses of authority committed by certain state authorities for personal gain, he said without elaborating.
Instead of accelerating the promised work to restore public confidence in the rule of law, the current government stands accused of allowing double standards in the country’s justice system, said Mr Chaithawat.
“If left to continue this way, the government’s lack of work efficiency, ability, morality and maturity would further hinder the social and economic recovery that people expected to see when they cast their vote for parties in this coalition,” he said.
Mr Chaithawat likened the coming debate to a grading of the government’s homework.
He declined to detail the main topics to be covered in the debate or state whether the handling of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s parole would be among them.
And even though the 2024 fiscal budget has still not been passed, he added, the government’s work performance could still be assessed by other means.
