Samak agrees to be grilled by opposition, senators

Deputy Agriculture Minister Theerachai Saenkaew said Saturday that the no-confidence debate would be held on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Deputy Senate Speaker Nikhom Waiyaratphanit said Saturday that the general debate of the Senate for the prime minister to answer questions on national affairs would be held on Monday.

Democrat Party leader and opposition leader Abhisit Vejjjajiva confirmed Saturday that House Speaker Chai Chidchob agreed to put the no-confidence motion on agenda for a debate on Tuesday.

Earlier, Samak dismissed the proposed debate by senators and censure debate by the opposition, saying the current extraordinary session had not enough time for such debates.

But Samak changed the stand after the People's Alliance for Democracy put Government House under siege by anti-government protesters.

Nikhom said he asked the Senate secretary-general to contact Samak Friday evening, urging him to reconsider his earlier stand not to attend a general debate on national problems.

Nikhom said Samak replied through Parliament President Chai that he would attend the debate Monday to answer senators' questions on national problems.

A group of 61 senators invoked Article 161 of the Constitution to file a motion seeking to open a debate to question the government on political and economic crises.

Earlier, the prime minister replied that the government would be busy with making preparations for the national budget bill debate and would have no time to attend the senatorial debate.

Nikhom said after Samak agreed to attend the debate, he had the Senate Secretariat send SMS to all senators, asking them to attend the debate in full force.

"The prime minister will be accompanied by a deputy prime minister and some ministers to attend the debate," Nikhom said.

"This is a very good gesture from the government and we want to see this kind of gesture from the government much earlier."

The deputy Senate speaker said he hoped that Samak's agreement to attend the debate should reduce political tension.

Nikhom said he hoped to see the People's Alliance for Democracy to change its stand now that the debate on the national problems would be held.

Senate Secretary-General Suwimol Phumsingharaj said she had sent SMS to all senators to attend the debate on 9:30 am.

Phetchaburi Senator Sumol Sutawiriyawat, one of the 61 senators, said the change of the prime minister's stand would reduce degree of political conflicts.

Theerachai said the People Power Party would hold a meeting of its ministers and MPs on Monday to make preparations for the no-confidence debate on Tuesday and Wednesday.

He said the budget bill would be deliberated on Thursday and Friday right after the censure debate.