A dinner between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and coalition party leaders will be held on Friday to discuss ways to handle next Monday's expected parliamentary debate, Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong Thienthong said.
Mr Sorawong, also a secretary-general of the Pheu Thai Party, said on Sunday that during a previous coalition dinner on Feb 25, party leaders agreed to hold another discussion once the debate schedule was confirmed.
He said the premier is prepared to answer all questions, and provide clarifications, with the ministers overseeing those areas expected to step in and offer greater clarity where necessary.
Regarding reports the opposition would find creative ways to refer to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra instead, he said it would be for the speaker to decide whether they were breaking the rule on discussing outsiders.
Meanwhile, the debate is expected to be wrapped up by Wednesday, said Mr Sorawong.
The opposition initially demanded five full days without consulting the coalition, before later suggesting 30 hours -- 20 hours for the opposition and another 10 for the coalition -- but both were turned down, said Mr Sorawong.
The government chief whip later proposed 23 hours for the opposition and 7 hours for the government, but was met with the refusal from the opposition, he said. In any case, his opinion was that these hours were too lengthy.
Meanwhile, Anusorn Iamsa-ard, a Pheu Thai Party-list MP, said the government has made compromises, yet the opposition remains unwilling to back down on the issue of the censure debate's duration.
If no agreement is reached, said Mr Anusorn, the debate might not be able to be scheduled in time for the closing of the parliamentary session on April 10.
Wisut Chainarun, a Pheu Thai list-MP, said the government will not offer more than 23 hours to the opposition for the debate. Also, the final decision on whether to use an alternative name for Thaksin would rest with the House Speaker, he said.
