On the first day of the no-confidence debate in parliament today, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra defended herself against accusations made by Palang Pracharath leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, by just claiming that his claims were untrue.
“I timed the senior MP’s (Prawit) speech and it was ten minutes. I want to say that what that senior MP said is not true and not correct,” she said.
She was, however, apparently teasing Prawit, by repeating a statement he had made during a censure debate in 2022, when he was deputy prime minister under Prayut Chan-o-cha’s government.
At that time, after an accusation was made, Prawit raised his hands in defence and simply said, “What the opposition said was not correct,” before retaking his seat
Some people expressed disappointment at Paetongtarn’s briefest of responses, saying they wanted to hear her defence.
Today, Prawit kept his promise to speak during the debate, after being absent from parliamentary sessions and the public eye for a long time. Some even bet on whether Prawit would appear in the House to deliver his statement.
During his ten-minute speech, he accused Paetongtarn of multiple acts of corruption and of being influenced by her father (Thaksin Shinawatra).
He criticised her for failing to address the people’s problems, particularly in the agricultural sector, where the prices of corn, rice, sugarcane and tapioca have plummeted.
He further alleged that the prime minister had failed in implementing effective economic policies, leading to widespread hardship and poverty.
He accused her of failing to fulfil her promises, particularly those related to the economy, which had resulted in business closures and rising unemployment.
As a former defence minister, deputy prime minister and army commander-in-chief, Prawit said he had managed the country’s security issues for a long time, but claimed that Paetongtarn’s handling of the MoU 44 issue with Cambodia had put the country at risk of losing territory.
He also accused her government of pushing the Entertainment Complex Bill, which focuses on casinos, solely for the benefit of her personal networks and investors.
As such, he said he could not trust her to govern the country.
Nonetheless, he expressed hope that the prime minister, who is still young, would govern with integrity and prioritise the country’s interests over those of her family and associates, adding that, if she does so, she will surely earn the people’s respect.
