Officials told to prepare for parliament to reconvene on January 20th

14 Sept 01:50 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's parliament is scheduled to reconvene on January 20th, ending a two-week hiatus prompted by COVID-19 concerns.
House Speaker Chuan Leekpai has instructed officials to implement strict safety measures to protect lawmakers and staff.
MPs will meet three times a week to make up for time lost during the pandemic-induced break.
The House Speaker urged the opposition to submit a no-confidence motion soon to facilitate a censure debate within the current session, avoiding an extraordinary session.
Discussions are underway with the government to address potential seating shortages for joint House and Senate sittings due to social distancing requirements.

Speculation growing over merger between Bhumjaithai and Kla Tham parties

Yesterday 16:46 Key points summarised by AI

A dinner between Bhumjaithai leader Anutin Charnvirakul and Kla Tham leader Capt. Thamanat Prompow ignited widespread speculation about a potential merger between their parties.
The meeting is viewed as a strategic message to coalition partner Pheu Thai, indicating Bhumjaithai's alternative options following Pheu Thai's chief whip's remarks about not fully defending all ministers in the upcoming no-confidence debate.
A direct merger between parties with sitting MPs is currently prohibited by Section 99 of the Constitution until the House's term expires, though MPs can switch parties through dismissal or party dissolution.
These constitutional rules aim to prevent financially strong parties from easily absorbing smaller ones, a practice that historically led to single-party dominance, as seen with Thai Rak Thai's 2005 election victory.