Thailand’s Prime Minister Survives his Third No Confidence Vote

Thailand’s highly unpopular Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha and five cabinet ministers have survived a no confidence vote in parliament on Saturday. Despite the vote anti-government activists have planned more protests against him and his government.

Gen Prayut received 264 votes in favor and 208 against. Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and four other cabinet ministers also survived the censure motion in similar fashion.

The opposition needed 242 of the 482 parliamentary votes to oust Prime Minister Praytut.

Lawmakers over four days accused his government of mishandling the pandemic and criticized him for the severe economic impact. Furthermore taking aim at Prayut’s government’s slow vaccine rollout as a result of not making advance vaccine orders and deciding not to join the international Covax vaccine-supply scheme.

Thailand’s Anti-government protests

This is the third censure motion the government has survived and comes as pro-democracy protesters plan more demonstrations on Saturday. A group of anti-government protesters ended a rally in the central business district of the capital on Saturday evening after putting up a banner in the Pratunam area.

Recent anti-government rallies have turned violent, with security forces using tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against protesters who threw stones and firecrackers.

Thailand has reported 1.2 million infections and more than 12,000 coronavirus-related deaths, most of them since April due to the Delta variant.

Authorities reported the largest single-day increase in cases in mid-August with more than 23,000 cases.
The vaccine rollout began in June amid the country’s most severe outbreak, with people unable to find medical treatment and some dying at home. About 13% of Thailand’s more than 66 million have been fully vaccinated.