Quorum count ends fiery parliamentary session

The opposition's tactic of requesting frequent quorum counts, something employed by the Democrats when they were in opposition, proved successful yesterday.

During the meeting last night, Pheu Thai MP Prasert Chaikitdennapalai asked the meeting chairman to call for a quorum count to check whether a minimum number of members were present.

The meeting chair, Apiwan Viriyachai, the second deputy House speaker from the opposition Pheu Thai Party, at first dismissed the request, arguing the agenda being discussed did not require a vote count and therefore it was unnecessary for the participants to exceed half the number of all MPs.

However, Prasert disputed that MPs should treat all topics of discussion equally.His motion for a quorum count obtained sufficient support from at least 20 MPs present.

When the meeting chair started ringing the bell for MPs to enter the meeting room and begin a quorum count, Democrat MPs employed delaying tactics. Some rose to debate while others proposed a roll call for the quorum count.

At first Apiwan disagreed with the roll call, saying it would take too much time, but finally allowed it after the idea was supported by many lawmakers.

The quorum count by roll call took about 45 minutes. There were 219 MPs inside the meeting room, nine short of the required quorum of 228.

Apiwan immediately adjourned the meeting.

Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai said it was the government's duty to make all MPs join the parliamentary meeting. Meanwhile, the MPs missing from the meeting must be held responsible.

"I believe the opposition will ask for quorum checks often. We have heard it announce clearly [its intention] not to let the government work. So the government must be more careful," he said.

On Wednesday, during the first House meeting of the new parliamentary session, the opposition requested a quorum count twice. The meeting resumed with seven MPs more than the required quorum in the first count, and five in the second count.

Earlier, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and opposition MP Chalerm Yoobamrung exchanged sharp words and tried to upstage one another during the House session for answering questions.

Chalerm took first swipe by linking the Democrats to chaos and lawlessness inflicted by the People's Alliance for Democracy. Abhisit hit back by recalling the October 7 violent crackdown, taking the opportunity to pledge to uphold the law.

"I want to know why the government appears reluctant to take legal action against the PAD," Chalerm said.

"I have given a strict instruction to the national police chief to deal with cases involving the PAD in a straightforward manner," Abhisit said in rebuttal.

Of 32 PAD-related cases, police have completed four reports which could form the basis for a trial. The remainder are at various stages of investigation, two of which are in the preliminary phase of statements taken before deciding whether to file charges.

In a bid to deny the prime minister the last word, Chalerm took the floor to reminisce how Abhisit, when opposition leader, had been close to the PAD and openly made a courtesy call on PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul. He said the PAD was seen as a springboard for the Democrats to grab power.

Although he focused his remarks on Abhisit and PAD-led street protests, particularly the airport seizures, Chalerm also took time to defend the Somchai Wongsawat government.

"What happened on October 7 was purely coincidental as police tried to rein in tens of thousands of people," he said, denying the previous government condoned excessive crowd control which inflicted high casualties.

He said that at issue was not police involvement in the bloodshed but the PAD's illegal tactics to close down the airports at Don Mueang and Suvarnarbhumi, tantamount to an act of terrorism.

He said Abhisit did not just fail to take decisive action to penalise the airports seizure but also had the temerity to appoint PAD supporter Kasit Piromya as foreign minister.

Invoking his right of rebuttal, the prime minister retook the floor for his parting shot at Chalerm.

"I have not been trying to help or protect the PAD, but the authorities do not view the besieged airports as an act of international terrorism," he said. He had no intention of granting preferential treatment to the PAD.

Following the Abhisit-Chalerm verbal duel, several opposition lawmakers took the floor to frame questions emphasising what they said were political manipulations to form the Democrat-led coalition.

Pheu Thai MP Jumphot Boonyai criticised House Speaker Chai Chidchob for paving the way for Abhisit to secure the premiership. He said Abhisit's appointment would remain in doubt because Chai's job qualification was in question after the disbanding of the People Power Party.

Several opposition members attacked the Friends of Newin for their loyalty switch and questioned whether the faction's MPs were qualified to elect Abhisit as prime minister, because they did not have a party banner at the time.