Censure Debate Resumes, Plot To Unseat PM Prayuth Reportedly Fended Off

The parliamentary censure debate against PM Prayuth and some of his ministers resumes today. Speculation emerged earlier this week that Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) Secretary General Thamanat had engineered a plot to topple Prayuth in the upcoming no-confidence vote, in cooperation with the opposition Pheu Thai Party and some other minor parties, but Thamanat has denied these reports.

• The Bangkok Post cited an unnamed government source who noted that "the revolt initially drew around 40 MPs" but "Prayuth's supporters in the coalition have managed to convince more than half of the MPs to backtrack".
• Elsewhere, PM Prayuth pushed back against suggestions that he was planning a Cabinet reshuffle and the dissolution of parliament, noting that he intends to stay on until his term expires in 2023.
• Prayuth added that Deputy PM and PPRP leader Prawit had told him that "he has cleared the aid within the ruling party and there were no problems" (as cited by the Bangkok Post). Lawmakers will cast their votes in the censure motion on Saturday.