2008-06-23
BANGKOK, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Thai senators on Monday criticized the government for its "failure" to solve the country's political turmoil and economic plight during an Upper House debate on the four-month-old cabinet's performance.
Some senators also criticized Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama for signing a deal recently to endorse Cambodia's plan to register the ancient Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site, which involves long territory disputes between the two countries.
Cabinet members were either absent from or quiet during the debate by now, while premier Samak stood as the prime defendant of the government to respond questions from the senators.
Opponents represented by the civilian coalition People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the sole opposition party Democrat Party have branded the PPP a nominee party of the former ruling TRT party, now disbanded, and the Samak administration a puppet of Thaksin.
They have intensified their criticism over the government when the PPP pushed a bill to amend the 2007 Constitution, installed by the junta after the coup-makers abrogated the 1997 charter.
They said that the government pushed for amending the constitution to facilitate a more tangible political return of Thaksin and his allies and to clear them from accusations and charges by investigation agencies, escalating political rifts in the country while failing to address economic hardship facing the people amid soaring oil and food prices.
Monday's Senate debate, which opened on Monday morning and is expected to continue into the evening, will be followed by a no-confidence debate in the House of Representatives (Lower House) on Tuesday and Wednesday, after the opposition Democrat Party filed censure motions against the Prime Minister and seven cabinet ministers from the PPP.
The debates at the parliament are taking place amid political tension after protesters organized by the PAD launched rallies in central Bangkok to call for the Samak government's step-down since May 25 and successfully a besiege on Friday to the Government House to mount pressure.
Monday's debate in the Senate would not end with a voting, while for the no-confidence bill, the coalition government, which holds nearly two thirds of the 480 seats in the House, is expected to overwhelm the censure of Democrat Party, which has 164 seats.
Editor: Sun Yunlong
BANGKOK, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Thai senators on Monday criticized the government for its "failure" to solve the country's political turmoil and economic plight during an Upper House debate on the four-month-old cabinet's performance.
Some senators also criticized Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama for signing a deal recently to endorse Cambodia's plan to register the ancient Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage Site, which involves long territory disputes between the two countries.
Cabinet members were either absent from or quiet during the debate by now, while premier Samak stood as the prime defendant of the government to respond questions from the senators.
Opponents represented by the civilian coalition People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the sole opposition party Democrat Party have branded the PPP a nominee party of the former ruling TRT party, now disbanded, and the Samak administration a puppet of Thaksin.
They have intensified their criticism over the government when the PPP pushed a bill to amend the 2007 Constitution, installed by the junta after the coup-makers abrogated the 1997 charter.
They said that the government pushed for amending the constitution to facilitate a more tangible political return of Thaksin and his allies and to clear them from accusations and charges by investigation agencies, escalating political rifts in the country while failing to address economic hardship facing the people amid soaring oil and food prices.
Monday's Senate debate, which opened on Monday morning and is expected to continue into the evening, will be followed by a no-confidence debate in the House of Representatives (Lower House) on Tuesday and Wednesday, after the opposition Democrat Party filed censure motions against the Prime Minister and seven cabinet ministers from the PPP.
The debates at the parliament are taking place amid political tension after protesters organized by the PAD launched rallies in central Bangkok to call for the Samak government's step-down since May 25 and successfully a besiege on Friday to the Government House to mount pressure.
Monday's debate in the Senate would not end with a voting, while for the no-confidence bill, the coalition government, which holds nearly two thirds of the 480 seats in the House, is expected to overwhelm the censure of Democrat Party, which has 164 seats.
Editor: Sun Yunlong
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