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Activist group seeks signatures to impeach 10 Puea Thai MPs; No-confidence debate programmes set

BANGKOK, May 30 (TNA) — An activist group on Sunday began collecting signatures to impeach 10 opposition Puea Thai Party MPs as both the opposition and government camps prepare for a two-day showdown no-confidence debate in the House of Representatives scheduled to start Monday.

Thirty members of the so-called Thai Ruam Jai group on Sunday submitted a letter to Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej saying they will start collecting 20,000 signatures, as required by the Constitution, and wanted the Senate to impeach the Puea Thai Party MPs, including Deputy House Speaker Col Apiwan Viriyachai for behaving improperly and violating Article 270 of the Constitution.

The group charged that the 10 opposition MPs had frequently appeared on the platform of anti-government the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) in the past, said improper statements during interviews with the media and showed contempt for the Constitution Court.

The group must send its list of all 20,000 signatures to Mr. Prasopsuk within 180 days or by November 25 after which further action can be taken.

House Speaker Chai Chidchob, meanwhile, said opposition MPs had not yet submitted film clips and sound recordings to be used during the no-confidence debate against the government.

He said he believed the Puea Thai Party MPs might submit them early Monday before the debate starts.

A nine-member committee has been set up to inspect the submissions and the opposition would not have a chance to display them during the debate if they are rejected by the majority of the committee, Mr Chai said.

Asked whether the upcoming no-confidence debate would spark a new round of conflict, Mr Chai said he believed it would not as long as the State of Emergency existed.

“As I’ve said earlier the divisiveness wouldn’t just disappear even in the next 10 generations,” said Mr Chai. He said he would try his best to control the debate and that the speakers must speak only the truth.

The time slots for the debate have been set. Opposition MPs will have 18 hours to grill the government, while the Democrat-led administration has 13.5 hours to respond. The debate is scheduled to start at 9am Monday and ends before midnight Tuesday.

Votes of confidence or no-confidence will be cast Wednesday.

It is expected that the coalition government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will comfortably survive the debate as it controls the majority in the House. (TNA)

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