Time now is 1030hr Monday 15.Dec
http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/12/15/politics/politics_30090959.php
A VOTE FOR PM
MPs set for showdown in Parliament as D-day arrives
By The Nation
Published on December 15, 2008
Abhisit holds slight edge amid hectic last-minute wooing and bargaining
The Puea Pandin Party yesterday emerged as a major decisive factor on the eve of the crucial House session to elect the new prime minister after some of its members announced they were defecting from the Democrat-led alliance.
The Democrats, after a "rehearsal" of voting to test their allies' allegiance, however remained confident that Abhisit Vejjajiva still had the support of at least 242 MPs. This number includes 21 Puea Pandin MPs, whose 27-strong party may have been split down the middle. Other MPs to vote for Abhisit include Democrat (167 MPs), Newin Faction (22), the defunct Chart Thai (13), defunct Matchima Thipataya (9), Ruamjai Thai/Chat Pattana (8), Sora-at Klinprathum faction (2).
Pracha Promnok of Puea Pandin will not give in easily as he is being supported by the defunct People Power Party for the top executive job. Puea Pandin Party deputy leader Waemahadi Waeda-oh said yesterday morning that at least 16 of 27 party MPs would vote for party leader Pracha as the next prime minister.
It will be a neck-to-neck race for the premiership as the vote of every single MP counts.
With Pheu Thai deciding to back Pracha as leader of a "national government", the Pheu Thai-Pracharaj-Puea Pandin alliance can command up to 208 MPs, assuming all 27 Puea Pandin lawmakers eventually join the camp.
Both camps yesterday staged "rehearsals" of how their members are going to vote. Their claimed figures, when added up, exceeded the 438, which is the present number of MPs in the House of Representatives.
Today's winner requires a minimum of 220 votes (the simple majority of the total 438 incumbent MPs). In case the candidate who wins the most votes wins fewer than 220, experts on parliamentary rules say a 15-day wait will be required before one last vote, after which the winner in this round, whether or not he acquires the simple majority support, will be elected.
From the numbers, Puea Pandin can create a major swing, which in effect will give the other Democrat allies a greater leverage. Lobbying if not outright vote, therefore, was expected to be absolute frantic last night.
Chalerm Yoobamrung of the defunct People Power Party said if Pracha were to lose out to Abhisit, the margin would not exceed 5 votes. And if Pracha were to win the premiership, the margin of the votes would be around 8 to 10 MPs.
But the advantage is with the Abhisit bloc rather than Pracha bloc, otherwise the defunct People Power would have already held a news conference to announce the formation of the new government.
Over the past three days, Suthep Thaugsuban, the secretary-general of the Democrat Party, has been working on the phone frantically to keep the MPs in line. Yesterday was the toughest as the roll call was constantly checked to prevent the MPs from voting with the other bloc.
All the 167 Democrat MPs got together and slept over at Karnmanee Hotel in Bangkok to make sure that they could make it to Parliament tomorrow. The MPs belonging to the Newin faction stayed at Siam City Hotel.
Suthep's instructions to Democrat MPs were: "Don't take leave, don't get sick and don't miss it."
What Suthep is most concerned about is that MPs from the Northeast and the South in the Democrat bloc might take "sick leave", in return for Bt50 million.
Sombat Sithikornwong, a Democrat MP from Nonthaburi, will attend the House tomorrow on a wheel chair because he is still being hospitalised.
http://nationmultimedia.com/2008/12/15/politics/politics_30090959.php
A VOTE FOR PM
MPs set for showdown in Parliament as D-day arrives
By The Nation
Published on December 15, 2008
Abhisit holds slight edge amid hectic last-minute wooing and bargaining
The Puea Pandin Party yesterday emerged as a major decisive factor on the eve of the crucial House session to elect the new prime minister after some of its members announced they were defecting from the Democrat-led alliance.
The Democrats, after a "rehearsal" of voting to test their allies' allegiance, however remained confident that Abhisit Vejjajiva still had the support of at least 242 MPs. This number includes 21 Puea Pandin MPs, whose 27-strong party may have been split down the middle. Other MPs to vote for Abhisit include Democrat (167 MPs), Newin Faction (22), the defunct Chart Thai (13), defunct Matchima Thipataya (9), Ruamjai Thai/Chat Pattana (8), Sora-at Klinprathum faction (2).
Pracha Promnok of Puea Pandin will not give in easily as he is being supported by the defunct People Power Party for the top executive job. Puea Pandin Party deputy leader Waemahadi Waeda-oh said yesterday morning that at least 16 of 27 party MPs would vote for party leader Pracha as the next prime minister.
It will be a neck-to-neck race for the premiership as the vote of every single MP counts.
With Pheu Thai deciding to back Pracha as leader of a "national government", the Pheu Thai-Pracharaj-Puea Pandin alliance can command up to 208 MPs, assuming all 27 Puea Pandin lawmakers eventually join the camp.
Both camps yesterday staged "rehearsals" of how their members are going to vote. Their claimed figures, when added up, exceeded the 438, which is the present number of MPs in the House of Representatives.
Today's winner requires a minimum of 220 votes (the simple majority of the total 438 incumbent MPs). In case the candidate who wins the most votes wins fewer than 220, experts on parliamentary rules say a 15-day wait will be required before one last vote, after which the winner in this round, whether or not he acquires the simple majority support, will be elected.
From the numbers, Puea Pandin can create a major swing, which in effect will give the other Democrat allies a greater leverage. Lobbying if not outright vote, therefore, was expected to be absolute frantic last night.
Chalerm Yoobamrung of the defunct People Power Party said if Pracha were to lose out to Abhisit, the margin would not exceed 5 votes. And if Pracha were to win the premiership, the margin of the votes would be around 8 to 10 MPs.
But the advantage is with the Abhisit bloc rather than Pracha bloc, otherwise the defunct People Power would have already held a news conference to announce the formation of the new government.
Over the past three days, Suthep Thaugsuban, the secretary-general of the Democrat Party, has been working on the phone frantically to keep the MPs in line. Yesterday was the toughest as the roll call was constantly checked to prevent the MPs from voting with the other bloc.
All the 167 Democrat MPs got together and slept over at Karnmanee Hotel in Bangkok to make sure that they could make it to Parliament tomorrow. The MPs belonging to the Newin faction stayed at Siam City Hotel.
Suthep's instructions to Democrat MPs were: "Don't take leave, don't get sick and don't miss it."
What Suthep is most concerned about is that MPs from the Northeast and the South in the Democrat bloc might take "sick leave", in return for Bt50 million.
Sombat Sithikornwong, a Democrat MP from Nonthaburi, will attend the House tomorrow on a wheel chair because he is still being hospitalised.
