International Herald Tribune
The Associated Press
Published: June 23, 2008
BANGKOK, Thailand: Thailand's prime minister fought for his political survival Monday as opponents began a no-confidence debate in Parliament and thousands of protesters continued to besiege his office.
The opposition Democrat Party brought the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his Cabinet in the wake of four weeks of street protests calling for the government's resignation, and the Senate opened debate on the measure Monday.
Demonstrators, led by activists of the People's Alliance for Democracy, have peacefully occupied the area around Government House, the seat of Thailand's government, since breaking through a police cordon Friday.
The protesters accuse Samak's five-month-old government of being a puppet of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, and accuse Thaksin of wanting to abolish Thailand's revered monarchy.
Samak strongly denied those allegations as he went before lawmakers Monday in the Senate, saying that only an "insane prime minister" would step down in the face of such intimidation.
He said it was impossible for anyone, including Thaksin, to plan for abolishing Thailand's constitutional monarchy and turning the country into a republic.
The Senate will not vote on the no-confidence motion, but the more powerful lower house of Parliament will to take up the motion Tuesday and vote on the measure Thursday.
Opposition lawmakers allege that Samak has mismanaged the weakening Thai economy, interfered in the country's generally free press and mishandled negotiations with neighboring Cambodia over disputed territory.
"The senators will expose the wrongdoing of this government to make the public aware that this government has lost legitimacy in running the country," Somchai Sawaengkan, one of 36 senators to grill the government, told The Associated Press.
Samak has said he would resign if the vote went against him.
Samak's People's Power Party, which won general elections in December and includes many allies of Thaksin, heads a six-party government coalition that controls about two-thirds of the 480 seats in the lower house of Parliament.
Samak's partners would have to desert him for any no-confidence motion in the lower house to succeed, but it was not certain which way the balloting would go. Even if Samak wins the vote, the debate plus tensions in the streets could pressure his backers to find a replacement as prime minister.
Watched by a grim-faced Samak, Senator Sumon Suttawiriyawat led off the debate, accusing what she called the "nominee government" of focusing on rehabilitating Thaksin rather than alleviating the plight of the people.
Samak countered that although some members of Thaksin's now-disbanded political party have joined his People's Power Party, it is a new political entity and that he is now in charge — not Thaksin.
"This government is not linked to the previous government," he said.
A spokesman for the protesters' alliance, Suriyasai Katasila, said Samak's resignation alone would not satisfy their demands.
"The People's Alliance for Democracy believes that the government's decision to allow a no-confidence motion in Parliament is a political game to lessen tension," Suriyasai said.
The alliance led mass demonstrations before the 2006 coup demanding Thaksin step down for alleged corruption and abuse of power. Rumors have swept Bangkok since the protests began that the country's powerful military would stage another coup, something the top brass has repeatedly denied.
The Associated Press
Published: June 23, 2008
BANGKOK, Thailand: Thailand's prime minister fought for his political survival Monday as opponents began a no-confidence debate in Parliament and thousands of protesters continued to besiege his office.
The opposition Democrat Party brought the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his Cabinet in the wake of four weeks of street protests calling for the government's resignation, and the Senate opened debate on the measure Monday.
Demonstrators, led by activists of the People's Alliance for Democracy, have peacefully occupied the area around Government House, the seat of Thailand's government, since breaking through a police cordon Friday.
The protesters accuse Samak's five-month-old government of being a puppet of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, and accuse Thaksin of wanting to abolish Thailand's revered monarchy.
Samak strongly denied those allegations as he went before lawmakers Monday in the Senate, saying that only an "insane prime minister" would step down in the face of such intimidation.
He said it was impossible for anyone, including Thaksin, to plan for abolishing Thailand's constitutional monarchy and turning the country into a republic.
The Senate will not vote on the no-confidence motion, but the more powerful lower house of Parliament will to take up the motion Tuesday and vote on the measure Thursday.
Opposition lawmakers allege that Samak has mismanaged the weakening Thai economy, interfered in the country's generally free press and mishandled negotiations with neighboring Cambodia over disputed territory.
"The senators will expose the wrongdoing of this government to make the public aware that this government has lost legitimacy in running the country," Somchai Sawaengkan, one of 36 senators to grill the government, told The Associated Press.
Samak has said he would resign if the vote went against him.
Samak's People's Power Party, which won general elections in December and includes many allies of Thaksin, heads a six-party government coalition that controls about two-thirds of the 480 seats in the lower house of Parliament.
Samak's partners would have to desert him for any no-confidence motion in the lower house to succeed, but it was not certain which way the balloting would go. Even if Samak wins the vote, the debate plus tensions in the streets could pressure his backers to find a replacement as prime minister.
Watched by a grim-faced Samak, Senator Sumon Suttawiriyawat led off the debate, accusing what she called the "nominee government" of focusing on rehabilitating Thaksin rather than alleviating the plight of the people.
Samak countered that although some members of Thaksin's now-disbanded political party have joined his People's Power Party, it is a new political entity and that he is now in charge — not Thaksin.
"This government is not linked to the previous government," he said.
A spokesman for the protesters' alliance, Suriyasai Katasila, said Samak's resignation alone would not satisfy their demands.
"The People's Alliance for Democracy believes that the government's decision to allow a no-confidence motion in Parliament is a political game to lessen tension," Suriyasai said.
The alliance led mass demonstrations before the 2006 coup demanding Thaksin step down for alleged corruption and abuse of power. Rumors have swept Bangkok since the protests began that the country's powerful military would stage another coup, something the top brass has repeatedly denied.
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