The joint House-Senate session yesterday failed to convene after only 80 out of 625 lawmakers showed up amid security concerns coinciding with the red-shirt rally.
Parliament President Chai Chidchob cited the lack of a quorum in cancelling the session. He waited for more than half an hour but could not muster a quorum.
Chai appeared upset as he left the Speaker's chair and headed for his office without speaking to reporters.
The joint session was scheduled at Chai's insistence despite opposition from the chief coalition whip and a large number of senators.
Lawmakers from both houses feared they would inflame the political volatility. They argued the joint session might encourage the red shirts to march from their rally site at Phan Fah Bridge to blockade Parliament.
Since Sunday, a number of red shirts have camped out in the streets near Parliament.
The lawmakers reporting for duty yesterday included 60 MPs and 17 senators. Pheu Thai MP Somchai Phaetprasert was the first to arrive at about 3am. He said he could not sleep, so he decided to get an early start.
Senate Speaker Prasobsook Boondech said the session's collapse was anticipated because the coalition whips had deemed it inappropriate to schedule a legislative session coinciding with the mass rally.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was among the no-shows at Parliament. He chaired a meeting of the Peacekeeping Operations Command to assess the security situation before departing for an inspection trip in the North.
