Thai government faces no-confidence move<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (Reuter): Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and the
\nleader of the opposition predicted yesterday the government would
\nsurvive a vote of no-confidence as the debate got under way.<\/p>\n
\"I am confident the government will pass the no-confidence
\nvote,\" Chuan, Thailand's longest serving elected prime minister,
\ntold reporters as he entered parliament.<\/p>\n
If he does lose, Chuan would have to resign but does not have
\nto call new elections. A new coalition could be formed and a new
\nprime minister nominated.<\/p>\n
The focus of the opposition assault is a land reform program
\nintended to benefit impoverished farmers but which the opposition
\nalleges in several instances benefited well-off businessmen with
\nconnections to Chuan's Democrat party.<\/p>\n
Chuan said the debate, expected to last until tomorrow or
\nSaturday, would be a good opportunity to clear up
\nmisunderstandings surrounding the land reform controversy.<\/p>\n
\"The public has not understood the government clearly because
\nof distorted or incomplete information given to the public by
\npeople who criticize the government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"This is a good opportunity for the ministers concerned to
\ntell the truth to the public and provide all the information.\"<\/p>\n
Opposition leader Banharn Silapa-archa of the Chart Thai (Thai
\nNation) party said he too expected the government to survive the
\nno-confidence vote, but predicted the government would lose
\npublic support in the process.<\/p>\n
\"We have strong evidence of irregularities involving the land
\nscandal,\" he told reporters on his way in to parliament.<\/p>\n
\"The government will pass the vote but the opposition will win
\nthe support of the public,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Police were on alert for possible rallies by supporters and
\nopponents of political parties outside parliament house.<\/p>\n
The debate was expected to hit trade on the Stock Exchange of
\nThailand with cautious local investors preferring to wait and
\nsee, brokers said.<\/p>\n
Foreign exchange dealers said they expected the debate to have
\nno impact on the Thai baht even if the government were defeated.<\/p>\n
\"This is a normal democratic process,\" a dealer at a foreign
\nbank said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thai-government-faces-no-confidence-move-1447893297",
"image": ""
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