The Move Forward Party’s Progressive Liquor Bill was derailed today (Wednesday), when the House of Representatives twice voted against it twice, first by 177:174 votes and then by 196:194 votes.
The failure of the Bill to pass was not unexpected, after the government issued an edict yesterday to ease restrictions on the production of liquor and beer, in what was widely seen as an attempt to wrong-foot the opposition Move Forward Party.
After the 177:174 vote, with 11 abstentions, Move Forward MP for Bangkok, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, asked Deputy House Speaker Suchart Tancharoen, who chaired the House meeting, for a second roll call vote, due to the close margin in the first.
As a result, the Bill, which was touted as a flagship piece of legislation for the Move Forward Party, failed to pass.
