Political analysts offered mixed assessments on the two-day censure debate in which Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was the sole target.
Somchai Srisutthiyakorn, a former election commissioner, said on Wednesday the debate was a tie for the government and the opposition and that no significant changes were expected as a result.
Despite having a strong backup team, Ms Paetongtarn's responses were not informative, and she provided specific information only on the issue of ultrafine dust pollution, he said.
Mr Somchai said the opposition leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, who presented the censure motion, failed to demonstrate a big picture and capture public attention during his opening argument. He said that when delivering the closing statement, Mr Natthaphong missed an opportunity to highlight the premier's and the government's shortcomings and instead gave only a summary of the debate.
Phichai Ratnatilaka Na Bhuket, a political science lecturer at the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida), however, credited Mr Natthaphong for a well-organised debate strategy. He said the opposition made the point that the Pheu Thai Party collaborated with the conservative camp to bring Ms Paetongtarn's father, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, back at the expense of reforms and public interest.
The opposition's allegations about Ms Paetongtarn's share purchases from her family also raised concerns about ethical standards amid claims the purchase was an attempt to evade taxes, as children rarely buy shares from their parents, he said.
Ms Paetongtarn's strengths, he said, were her sharp and sarcastic use of language to deflect questions, though it backfired during the debate, as she used it when she should have instead provided straightforward answers.
Yutthaporn Issarachai, a political science lecturer at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, expressed disappointment with the lack of in-depth information presented, saying memes overshadowed the session. He said while the prime minister handled the debate well, her responses fell short of clear and factual information. He said the opposition's performance was a disappointment compared with 2019.
Mr Yutthaporn said the opposition might have chosen the wrong strategy by targeting the prime minister, which allowed the coalition partners to close ranks.
Assoc Prof Pornamarin Phromkert, a lecturer at Khon Kaen University's humanities and social sciences faculty, said several issues caught public attention, including Ms Paetongtarn's purchase of shares from her family.
By focusing solely on the prime minister, the opposition managed to show she was the government's weak point, he said, noting she lost credibility when she resorted to sarcasm rather than answering questions.
