People's Party leader demands five-day no-confidence debate

Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People's Party and opposition leader, has criticized the Thai government for unilaterally proposing a three-day timeframe for an upcoming no-confidence debate. He argued that such a short period, which must also include government clarifications, would leave the opposition with only two days to question 18 ministers.

Natthaphong urged the government to stop “thinking for the opposition” without prior consultation. He noted that in previous years, debates involving fewer ministers were granted four full days of discussion plus a day for voting. The People's Party maintains its original request for a five-day debate period to ensure adequate scrutiny of the 18 targeted officials.

He also called on the Speaker of the House to convene a meeting of the parliamentary whips from both the government and opposition sides to officially determine the schedule and duration through the proper consultative process. Regarding the Prime Minister's international schedule, Natthaphong stated that the leader is capable of managing their own calendar to prioritize parliamentary duties.