Thailand: No-confidence vote to be held following a four-day long censure debate in Parliament
Thai MPs will conclude a no-confidence debate in Parliament for the third time today.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government have come under the opposition’s scrutiny over a botched COVID-19 response. While today’s debate is unlikely to topple the government due to their parliamentary majority, the opposition is hoping to pick-up on recent anti-government protests and channel the public’s anger into Parliament.
Concurrently, thousands of demonstrators have gathered in Bangkok decrying the government’s failure to secure vaccine supplies amidst a deadly surge in infections. They vow to protest until the prime minister resigns.
In the short term, expect the protests to continue gaining momentum. What started as a youth-led movement that criticized the government’s authoritarian tendencies has evolved to include a broader demographic, and accordingly, a broader list of grievances. For instance, economic mismanagement, allegations of corruption, and a failed COVID-19 strategy now lead the protester’s concerns which has helped widen the base of anti-government activism.
Tear gas and rubber bullets may quell the protests for now, but Chan-o-cha’s legitimacy appears to be slipping. Should the prime minister survive the no-confidence vote, the post-pandemic recovery will provide the government with an opportunity to restore trust in the longer term.
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