Chai blames PM (Abhisit)for lack of quorum…Bangkok not serious about Siam-Khmer border commission

Parliament President Chai Chidchob,the opposition, blasted Abhisit in stalling JBC

Bangkokpost—The repeated lack of a quorum in the parliament was due to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s announcement he plans to dissolve the House in the first week of May, House Speaker Chai Chidchob said on Thursday.

The absence of many MPs forced Mr Chai, who is ex officio president of the parliament, to adjourn the joint meeting on Tuesday and the House meeting on Wednesday.

“It’s not unusual for MPs to campaign for a coming election after the premier announces a specific time for a dissolution in the House,” Mr Chai said.

He said there were about five weeks left and MPs had to focus on campaigning to keep their seats in the House.

A new regulation was needed to prevent the lack of quorum problem, so that MPs present at the meeting for a quorum count need not insert their cards the next time, Mr Chai said.

There were about a hundred opposition Puea Thai MPs at the House meeting yesterday, but they chose not to insert their cards during the quorum call because they wanted the government to lose face. A number of senators walked out on Tuesday because they were not happy with the report on the minutes of the three Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Commission meetings, he said.

“Such actions do not allow the country move forward. I want all sides to work together because there are still more than 100 pieces of legislation to be considered.

“If the JBC issue is proposed again and there is another lack of quorum, the government should pack up or dissolve the House immediately,” Mr Chai said.