Democrat MPs will be told not to miss House meetings
Democrat MPs will be asked not to miss House meetings, unless they are sick or have urgent matters to which they must attend, in order to avoid a repeat of the incident last week when two House meetings were suspended due to lack of a quorum.
Mr. Ong-art Klampaibul, the democrat party deputy leader, said the MPs are due to meet tomorrow to discuss House agenda, a meeting during which he will seek the cooperation of all MPs by attending every House meeting.
He dismissed some suggestions that the cancellation of two House meetings last week, for a vote recount over the opposition motion to set up a panel to investigate impacts of pre-election orders and executive orders under Section 44 of the interim constitution, were part of a political game.
He said he is optimistic that the House meeting on Wednesday will run smoothly.
Mr. Ong-art said that he had not yet been notified about a report that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would like to host a party for MPs of the coalition, to enhance their relationship and coordination, though he said he would welcome such a meeting and Democrat MPs will attend if they are free.
Opposition chief whip Mr. Suthin Klangsaeng, meanwhile, said the Opposition should not be blamed for the cancellation of two House meetings, adding that the opposition had never blamed the government for similar incidents.
He said opposition parties will discuss, at a meeting on Wednesday, whether they should maintain their resolve to boycott the House meeting for the recount, or be more flexible adding, however, that he is confident that the Government will have enough MPs to reach a quorum, otherwise the Government could be considered the weakest administration ever.
At least half of the 500 House MPs are required to be present in the chamber to form a quorum.
Regarding the planned censure debate, Mr. Suthin said that the opposition might hold the debate next year, after it was ruled by the House secretary-general that the one-year timeframe, within which a censure debate cannot be held, will expire on February 28th, not this December 31st.
