BANGKOK, 9 September 2014 – The President of the National Legislative Assembly has confirmed that the new government will make its policy statement address on Friday.
NLA President Pornpetch Wichitcholcha said on Monday that he has received internal communication which confirm that the new Cabinet will make its policy statement address before the Assembly at 10 a.m. on September 12.
Mr. Pornpetch said that the address will be completed within one day.
He added that the NLA meeting on September 9 will be looking at the draft statement, while the agenda on September 11 will be a regular sitting to review the assembly’s meeting regulations and five draft laws proposed by Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, the Prime Minister.
When asked if the NLA will need to find new members after five of the original members resigned to join the government, Mr. Pornpetch said that because the interim charter has imposed a maximum number of 220 NLA members, the current 193-member Assembly is not in violation of the Constitution.
However, personally, the NLA President feels the vacant seats should be filled when time allows and when Gen. Prayuth decides to do so.
He added that the NLA will continue with the second and third readings of the 2.5-trillion-baht Budget Bill for fiscal 2015.
