Paiboon Nititawan said he had spoken to Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, chairman of the Phalang Pracharat strategy committee, about joining the coalition leader once his party was dissolved.

The Political Parties Act allows MPs to retain their parliamentary seat if they join another party within 60 days of their original party’s dissolution.

Paiboon said Prawit had welcomed him and promised a role in legal affairs.

He said he had to wait until the party was formally disbanded and an announcement to that effect appeared in the Royal Gazette, a process he expected to end within this month.

Paiboon proposed shutting down the party because most of its executives were too busy with their personal work to adhere to a law requiring them to establish and develop party branches upcountry.

The executive board’s vote to disband was unanimous, he said.

Wirat Ratanaset, chairman of the coalition coordination committee, said a special meeting may be convened early September apart from the weekly House meetings for a debate to be held. This follows the submission by the opposition of a motion that invoked Article 152 of the charter to demand a debate on the issue.

The article allows a debate to be held on any issue that would affect the national interest. However, no vote would be held at the end so it could be tantamount to a censure showdown without a no-confidence vote.

The opposition alleged that Prayut has violated the charter by failing to state in full that his government would protect the constitution and comply with charter provisions when he led his Cabinet to take an oath of allegiance to the King. The opposition alleged that such a failure caused the tenure of the Cabinet to be invalid.

Prayut has admitted the failure and apologised to his Cabinet, saying he would take responsibility for the failure alone.

Wirat said the debate should take only one day because it has only one topic for discussion and the opposition would only ask Prayut about the oath taking.

The chief coalition whip said the Phalang Pracharat party would not have to form a special team to defend Prayut because the issue is simple. He added that coalition MPs have the right to speak during the debate.

Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan was recently made chief strategist of the coalition leader Phalang Pracharat Party, and Ubon Ratchathani University’s Faculty of Political Science dean Titipol Phakdeewanich said that this move only reinforced people’s perception that the coalition is supported and controlled by the military, which staged a coup in 2014.

“Military intervention in politics is never good for democracy,” Titipol said, adding that the public realised that the junta intended to stay in power after the March election when the Phalang Pracharat Party endorsed General Prayut Chan-o-cha as prime minister. Prayut was the leader of the coup and head of the junta-backed government.

He also said that Prawit and Phalang Pracharat will continue trying to lure opposition MPs to join their camp because the coalition has a slim majority in the House of Representatives.

Titipol added that it was also time for Prayut to fix his mistake after he was accused of not reading the entire oath in the oath-taking ceremony before taking office.

“Prayut doesn’t need to resign, and nor will the government collapse. Former US president Barack Obama had to be sworn in again after he made a similar mistake in 2009, when he took office for the first term,” Titipol said.

Somjai Phagaphasvivat, another political scientist, said Prawit’s power and Prayut’s charisma will help them manage fighting political factions in the Phalang Pracharat Party. These two men also have the capacity to steer the entire coalition government.

“They will, however, face two challenges – the economy and their legitimacy to rule,” Somjai said.

Thai and global economies are slowing down very fast, so Prayut will face the huge task of managing the economy and ensuring the people are satisfied, he said, adding that failure to deliver will land the PM and his Cabinet in unstable waters.

On the political side, Prayut’s government also has to address the question of validity, he said, as the coalition has been accused of representing military rule, much like the junta-led government from 2014 to 2019.

The government also has to prove that it abides by freedom of expression, which is at the heart of democracy, he said.

“So far, the coalition has done nothing to show it is upholding the principles of freedom of expression, nor has it managed the economy well,” Somjai said.

As for the controversy over the oath, Somjai said the Constitutional Court will have a final say.

Meanwhile, Gothom Arya, adviser to Mahidol University’s Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, said he reckons the government will stay in office for two years because the politicians are not ready for another election.

“Some may believe this government will stay for the entire four-year term because it has the military’s support, but I believe the political situation will remain unstable because of frequent military intervention,” he said, adding that after two years the political landscape is bound to become turbulent, especially since the coalition is comprised of many tiny parties.

He also called for freedom of expression to be restored, especially since Thailand has a civilian government. Gothom also agreed that the premier should take his oath again, “otherwise Prayut’s reputation will be tarnished forever”.

Chiang Mai MP Sompong Amornvivat, head of the Pheu Thai Party, was on Wednesday appointed by royal decree official leader of the parliamentary opposition.

He used the occasion to confirm that the New Economics Party (NEP) remains a partner in the opposition coalition.

Attending the appointment ceremony at the Secretariat of the House of Representatives were MPs from other parties, including House speaker Chuan Leekphai and his deputies Suchart Tancharoen and Supachai Phosu.

Suchart presented Sompond with a bouquet of flowers and expressed hope he would serve as opposition leader for “as long as possible”.

Sompong said he was grateful for the royal appointment and would perform his duties to the best of his abilities.

“I will place the benefits of the country and people above all else, and I am willing to work with every party, not just the MPs of Pheu Thai,” he said.

Asked about some NEP MPs planning to jump from the opposition to the government coalition, Sompong said he had discussed the issue with others in opposition and found no problem. “Members of NEP are committed to remaining in the opposition coalition at the moment,” he said.

Prawit made the “suggestion” during a party meeting, the source said.

The five ministers were Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan, Industry Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, Digital Economy and Society Minister Buddhipongse Punakanta, Justice Minister Somsak Thepsuthin, and Deputy Finance Minister Santi Phromphat.

The source quoted Prawit as telling the five ministers to consider whether holding two posts would inhibit the efficiency of their work.

“I would like MPs to do the duty of MPs and for ministers carry out works of ministers for the optimal efficiency,” the source quoted Prawit as saying during the party meeting.

“Don’t think that I am reprimanding you, but I would like you all to think about it.”

The coalition Prayut II government has a slim majority, although it is made up of 19 parties. The coalition could be easily be beaten in House votes if the ministers were absent on their ministerial missions, observers believe.

Prawit also told Phalang Pracharat MPs to attend House meetings in full force, especially during the meetings this Wednesday and Thursday (August 21 and 22) because the House would deliberate important issues.

He said he had instructed Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, to ensure that their MPs are in full force when the House meets after several of the party’s MPs were absent from recent meetings.

Prawit also told Phalang Pracharat candidates who were beaten in the recent election not to feel discouraged. Prawit said the party would allocate political posts to them and they should get prepared for the next election.

The Cabinet ensured several political positions were filled, including those of two deputy government spokespersons, at its meeting on August 20.

The Cabinet approved 36 nominees for key positions that had been proposed by key ministers. Most of the positions were those of vice ministers, advisers and secretaries of several ministries.

The Cabinet also appointed Democrat Party’s Ratchada Thanadirek and Bhumjaithai’s Traisulee Traisorranakul, both women, as deputy government spokespersons.

Two retiring officials were also given active jobs – one as an adviser to the Anti-Money Laundering Office and the other as an assistant inspector-general to the Digital Ministry. The two men will be starting their new jobs on October 1.

Many of the appointees were candidates of coalition partners in the general election in March. None of them were rejected for their positions in the Cabinet meeting today.

Niyom Wiwatthanaditkul, deputy leader of the New Economics, admitted that some of his party MPs would move to work for the coalition but that he and party leader Mingkwan Saensuwan would remain aligned with the opposition.

Niyom was speaking to reporters after attending the meeting of opposition whips held at the Pheu Thai Party office. The meeting was chaired by chief opposition whip Suthin Klungsaeng. Whips from all seven opposition parties attended the meeting.

It has been speculated that the New Economics party would leave the opposition to join the coalition to boost the majority of the Prayut II government.

Niyom confirmed that his party would hold a press conference on Thursday to clarify the issue.

“Please wait for the press conference for the details,” Niyom said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha signed an order in his capacity as the defence minister and Gen Suchart assumed his post on August 6.

The appointment was announced in the Royal Gazette on Monday.

Putting his move down to ideological differences, Rattapoom said his personal stance remains unchanged – that he will continue serving the Thai public out of gratitude for their support, which contributed to his success in the entertainment and business worlds.

He added that it did not take him long to consider joining Pheu Thai, because the party is professional, open to new ideas and also maintains good existing polices.

“In my visits to different areas, I learned of vast inequality in society. The polarisation should not exist in this day and age. Also, everybody is waiting for political parties to come in and solve problems quickly and effectively,” he said.

The former actor also said he wasn’t worried that his move to Pheu Thai may be linked to other things or problems, adding that he still maintained good ties with PTTT executives and members.

Also signing up with Pheu Thai on Monday were fellow PTTT member Nattapong Robkob and Thai Network Party’s former secretary Chaiwat Chaijindawat.

Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, who heads Pheu Thai’s election strategy committee, welcomed the new members and thanked them for realising that her party will give the new generation an opportunity to contribute to the country’s development. Noting that the three new members had expertise in media and digital marketing, Sudarat said they would help propel forward the party’s policies and strive for a brighter future.

Supachai Phosu said officials are now in the process of verifying the motion submitted by the opposition under Article 152 of the constitution.

The opposition has accused the prime minister of failing to include the concluding phrase, which swears to protect the Constitution and adhere to its provisions, when he led his Cabinet in taking the oath in front of the King.

Such a failure, the opposition argued, should mean the tenure of the new Cabinet was invalidated.

Supachai said officials would submit a motion for him to consider, along with their opinion, within Wednesday and then he would put it on the House agenda.

He added that the timing of the debate on the issue would depend on both the government and the opposition as the two sides must agree on the debate’s timing.

But Supachai said he thought the debate could not be held within this month because the drafting of meeting regulations for MPs has not yet been completed.

As well, there will be a meeting of Asean parliamentarians in Bangkok from August 25 to 30, with the House and Senate speakers busy hosting the Asean parliamentarians.

Article 152 of the new charter states: “Members of the House of Representatives comprising not less than one-tenth of the total number of the existing Members of the House of Representatives have the right to submit a motion for a general debate to inquire about facts or recommend issues without a resolution to be passed.”

As a result, the debate would be conducted in line with a censure debate against Prayut, but without an actual censure vote at its conclusion.

Supachai said the prime minister should be present when the debate is held to speak to the issue before MPs. The debate will be held under a charter provision and it will not be an interpolation in which the prime minister may assign others to answer the opposition’s questions on his behalf.

Earlier, Prayut publicly apologised to his Cabinet members over the issue and said he would take sole responsibility, but he stopped short of acknowledging any violation of the charter as alleged by the opposition.

Legal experts have advised him to either resign or to seek a royal pardon to end the controversy once and for all.