Government chief whip Korrawee Prissananantakul has dismissed concerns over an expected no-confidence debate when parliament reconvenes, saying the government is ready to answer questions on all issues.
The next parliamentary session is scheduled to open on Aug 25.
Among the issues expected to be raised are the TH-AI Passport scheme and the civil service exam corruption scandal.
Mr Korrawee said parliamentary scrutiny was the opposition’s responsibility, while ministers must explain matters within their portfolios.
He said the ministers overseeing the Digital Economy and Society Ministry and the Interior Ministry were ready for the debate.
He said the recruitment exam irregularities occurred before the current Bhumjaithai-led government took office and were unlikely to cause major problems for the administration.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is also the interior minister, is reportedly planning a major shakeup involving top officials at the ministry, which is responsible for recruitment exams.
Mr Korrawee also said the Bhumjaithai Party welcomed scrutiny over the Senate election collusion case and remained confident in the nine senior party members who have denied involvement.
The election monitoring group iLaw recently alleged that nine Bhumjaithai figures, including Mr Anutin, played a role in fixing the 2024 Senate election.
Mr Korrawee said the opposition’s renewed focus on the case appeared intended to pressure the Election Commission (EC) into accelerating its investigation rather than allowing the issue to fade.
Borrowing decree
Turning to the 400-billion-baht emergency loan decree, Mr Korrawee said no decision had been made on whether to call a special House sitting to expedite parliamentary approval.
Although the Constitutional Court upheld the decree, the House has yet to receive the full ruling and the cabinet must first request a special session, he said.
With parliament scheduled to reconvene on Aug 25, such a session may not be necessary. The matter would be discussed with opposition whips before a decision was made, he said.
Early last month, the court unanimously upheld provisions authorising borrowing to assist households, farmers and businesses affected by the energy crisis.
The package funds the Thais Help Thais Plus consumer subsidy scheme and measures supporting Thailand’s transition to cleaner energy.
In a separate 7-2 ruling, the court approved borrowing for energy efficiency, renewable and alternative energy projects, as well as related skills development and innovation programmes.
The case was brought by 133 MPs who argued the government had failed to prove there was an “emergency” that merited bypassing normal parliamentary scrutiny of major borrowing and spending plans.
