Govt chief whip confident with smooth budget debate

BANGKOK, 26 May 2010 (NNT) – Government Chief Whip, Witthaya Kaewparadai, has voiced his confidence that the consideration and debate of the 2011 Budget Bill which begins today will go on smoothly despite the potential comments by the Opposition on the political unrest during the session.

Mr Witthaya said the government and opposition whips agreed that the budget debate would take two days. The cabinet and government MPs will have altogether 13 hours to speak, similar to the opposition while another three hours will be spared for rule discussion and protests.

As for concerns that the issue of political unrest would be raised in the meeting, the government chief whip confirmed that whips from both sides would ensure the debate of respective MPs would remain in the timeframe. Today’s debate must focus on the budget first, he stressed.

Mr Witthaya then voiced his confidence that the Puea Thai Party would be cooperative in the appointment of required committees in the second session.

As for the no-confidence debate, the government chief whip said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had approved the extension of the extraordinary meeting of Parliament to enable the censure debate. He said the censure debate was tentatively scheduled for 31 May 2010 and would last two days.