A motion was submitted to Senate Speaker Pornpetch Wichitcholchai today by a group of senators, seeking general debate against the government, but without a concluding vote.
One of the senators, Seree Suwanpanont, told the media this morning that the motion, which was signed in approval by 98 senators, in accordance with Section 153 of the Constitution, seeks to question the government on seven issues.
He said that the senators have no intention to topple the government, as there will not be a vote after the debate. The debate will take about two days and he believes that it wouldbe beneficial to the government’s administration of state affairs.
Responding to a reporter’s question about why senators didn’tseek a similar debate against the former government and why they are seeking one against the current government, which has been in office for just four months, Senator Seree said that the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had spent about three years concentrating on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and that “there were not as many problems as there are today.”
The issues to be raised by senators mostly concern policies promised to the people during the general election campaign last year, such as the “digital wallet” scheme and alleged double standards in the justice system, without specifying the case of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, said Seree.
Senate Speaker Pornpetch said that that he will ask the Senate secretary-general to coordinate with the cabinet about when they will be ready for the debate, as the senators would prefer the debate to be held in February.