Politicians have strongly criticised Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s remarks suggesting he might dissolve parliament if a no-confidence motion is tabled, accusing him of attempting to evade democratic scrutiny.
Pheu Thai Party leader Julapun Amornvivat said the stance reflects political frustration rather than leadership under a democratic system.
“The censure process under Article 151 is a legitimate tool for scrutiny, not an act of insult,” he said. “If the government has done no wrong — no corruption or misconduct — there is nothing to fear.”
He urged the government to view no-confidence debates as “an opportunity to clarify issues before the public, not to avoid criticism”.
Mr Julapan also expressed concern over the sluggish progress of constitutional reform, warning against using the amendment process as “a political hostage”. He said the current timeline for constitutional change is unlikely to succeed due to delays within parliamentary committees, particularly over the structure of a proposed constitutional drafting assembly.
Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva urged Mr Anutin to “set an example of democratic maturity”, stressing that no-confidence debates are a constitutional norm, not a threat.
He said such a debate is a democratic mechanism for accountability. True leadership lies in facing scrutiny with dignity,” he said. “If you are confident in what you do, there is no reason to fear questions. Do not set a precedent of dissolving parliament merely to avoid a no-confidence debate.”
Deputy Prime Minister Suchart Chomklin defended Mr Anutin, saying his remark reflected “straightforward honesty”, not an intent to avoid accountability.
“The power to dissolve parliament belongs solely to the prime minister,” he said, adding that the coalition partners were aware of the government’s working timeline since its formation.
Mr Suchart, also Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said the prime minister is working hard and that politics should not get in the way of governance.
“The prime minister should be allowed to work fully. The 70 million citizens already know who made what promises, so we should let the prime minister do his job without interference.
Meanwhile, the constitutional amendment process also stalled on Friday after a key committee meeting failed to reach a quorum.
The committee, chaired by People’s Party MP Nattawut Buapratum, failed to reach a consensus on whether to establish a new constitution-drafting assembly.
Committee spokesperson Senator Norasate Prachyakorn lamented the setback, urging members to “act responsibly” and resume deliberations next Wednesday.
Lawmakers are warning that continued disruptions could derail the reform timeline, which many already deem “improbably tight”.