Pyrrhic win means littleWith a majority in parliament, the coalition government led by Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha looks set to survive when members of the House cast their votes today following this week's no-confidence debate. A minimum of 244 votes is needed to win the debate, the second of its kind since the government took office in 2018, after opposition efforts to extend the debate to Monday failed. Wirach Ratanasate, Palang Pracharath MP and chief government whip, has boasted that the coalition has 270 votes in its pocket and will likely win hands down. In addition, Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Anutin raised eyebrows with his odd claim that "it's the best for the country to have only one vaccine brand, instead of 20 brands shared among the population". A lack of parliamentary rules obliging more transparent answers effectively reduced the four-day debate to a meaningless political charade.

Source: Bangkok Post February 19, 2021 23:48 UTC