Thai government faces no-confidence move

Thai government faces no-confidence move

BANGKOK (Reuter): Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and the
leader of the opposition predicted yesterday the government would
survive a vote of no-confidence as the debate got under way.

"I am confident the government will pass the no-confidence
vote," Chuan, Thailand's longest serving elected prime minister,
told reporters as he entered parliament.

If he does lose, Chuan would have to resign but does not have
to call new elections. A new coalition could be formed and a new
prime minister nominated.

The focus of the opposition assault is a land reform program
intended to benefit impoverished farmers but which the opposition
alleges in several instances benefited well-off businessmen with
connections to Chuan's Democrat party.

Chuan said the debate, expected to last until tomorrow or
Saturday, would be a good opportunity to clear up
misunderstandings surrounding the land reform controversy.

"The public has not understood the government clearly because
of distorted or incomplete information given to the public by
people who criticize the government," he said.

"This is a good opportunity for the ministers concerned to
tell the truth to the public and provide all the information."

Opposition leader Banharn Silapa-archa of the Chart Thai (Thai
Nation) party said he too expected the government to survive the
no-confidence vote, but predicted the government would lose
public support in the process.

"We have strong evidence of irregularities involving the land
scandal," he told reporters on his way in to parliament.

"The government will pass the vote but the opposition will win
the support of the public," he said.

Police were on alert for possible rallies by supporters and
opponents of political parties outside parliament house.

The debate was expected to hit trade on the Stock Exchange of
Thailand with cautious local investors preferring to wait and
see, brokers said.

Foreign exchange dealers said they expected the debate to have
no impact on the Thai baht even if the government were defeated.

"This is a normal democratic process," a dealer at a foreign
bank said.