lonelywombat
June 27th, 2008, 13:12
cut and paste from breaking news
Thai PM wins no-confidence vote
June 27, 2008 - 4:04PM [0604GMT]
Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and seven cabinet colleagues have won a vote of no-confidence in parliament.
Samak, who took over from a military-run administration four months ago, gained a simple majority of MPs in an electronic ballot on Friday.
"There are 442 MPs attending today's meeting. One hundred and sixty-two voted against Samak and 280 voted to support Prime Minister Samak," House Speaker Chai Chidchob told parliament.
"Therefore Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej can continue his premiership."
Seven cabinet ministers comfortably won separate votes of no-confidence against them.
"The censure debate is now complete and all cabinet members retain their posts," Chai said.
The votes follow three days of debate in which Samak and his cabinet colleagues were grilled by opposition MPs accusing them of mismanaging government.
Foremost among the accusations levied was that Samak had acted on behalf of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled by royalist generals in 2006 and charged with widespread corruption.
The government was also accused of failing to handle soaring food prices, not defending the revered monarchy, and handing control of a disputed heritage site to Cambodia.
Samak was widely expected to survive the vote as his six-party ruling coalition controls about two-thirds of the chamber.
Thai PM wins no-confidence vote
June 27, 2008 - 4:04PM [0604GMT]
Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and seven cabinet colleagues have won a vote of no-confidence in parliament.
Samak, who took over from a military-run administration four months ago, gained a simple majority of MPs in an electronic ballot on Friday.
"There are 442 MPs attending today's meeting. One hundred and sixty-two voted against Samak and 280 voted to support Prime Minister Samak," House Speaker Chai Chidchob told parliament.
"Therefore Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej can continue his premiership."
Seven cabinet ministers comfortably won separate votes of no-confidence against them.
"The censure debate is now complete and all cabinet members retain their posts," Chai said.
The votes follow three days of debate in which Samak and his cabinet colleagues were grilled by opposition MPs accusing them of mismanaging government.
Foremost among the accusations levied was that Samak had acted on behalf of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was toppled by royalist generals in 2006 and charged with widespread corruption.
The government was also accused of failing to handle soaring food prices, not defending the revered monarchy, and handing control of a disputed heritage site to Cambodia.
Samak was widely expected to survive the vote as his six-party ruling coalition controls about two-thirds of the chamber.