THAI PM SURVIVES NO-CONFIDENCE VOTE IN PARLIAMENT

By Kenny Teng

BANGKOK, March 26 (Bernama) -- Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra comfortably survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament on Wednesday, following accusations from the country’s main opposition party of her failure to manage the coalition government effectively.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Wan Muhamad Noor Matha announced after the vote that Paetongtarn secured 319 votes of confidence to 162 no-confidence votes.

He added that seven out of the 488 lawmakers present had abstained from voting.

According to the Thai Constitution, a no-confidence motion must receive more than half of the total number of members’ votes to pass.

“Therefore, the motion required at least 247 votes,” Wan Muhamad said in a statement from Thai Parliament on Wednesday.

In February, Opposition Leader, Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, submitted a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Paetongtarn under Section 151 of the Constitution.

Natthaphong, head of the People’s Party - a successor to the progressive and reformist Move Forward Party - cited the Prime Minister’s inability to manage the coalition government as the primary reason for the motion.

During the two-day censure debate, Paetongtarn, Thailand’s youngest serving Prime Minister, dismissed all allegations and reaffirmed the stability of her ruling coalition.

According to reports from Thai media, Natthaphong alleged that Paetongtarn had failed to address several of the country’s chronic issues, including a faltering economy, air pollution, rising crime, and corruption.

He also claimed Paetongtarn's administration was primarily serving the interests of her family and her father, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Additionally, Paetongtarn was accused by Prawit Wongsuwan, leader of the Palang Pracharath Party - Pheu Thai’s former coalition partner - of falsely declaring her assets, an allegation she has denied.

-- BERNAMA