By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BANGKOK — Opponents of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva filed a no-confidence motion on Thursday against him and five of his Cabinet ministers, accusing them of mismanaging the country.
The move against Abhisit's three-month-old government is the latest political maneuvering in Thailand, which has been destabilized by months of protests by both supporters and opponents of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup.
The no-confidence motion came a day after the opposition Phuea Thai Party—supporters of Thaksin—filed a separate impeachment motion against Abhisit, accusing him of taking power illegitimately and supporting months of anti-Thaksin protests that culminated in last year's weeklong siege of Bangkok's airports.
Neither motion was expected to topple Abhisit's government, which still controls a majority in Parliament. However, the opposition said they hope to show the public the government is not fit to manage the country.
The no-confidence motion was filed against the prime minister, foreign minister, finance minister, deputy finance minister, interior minister and deputy interior minister.
"We can prove that all of them have done something illegal and that they have mismanaged the country," said opposition member of parliament Pirapan Palasuk.
Abhisit said he was ready to defend his government in parliament.
A debate on the motions is tentatively scheduled for March 26, Senate Speaker Prasobsuk Boondej said.
Abhisit became prime minister in December after court rulings of election fraud ousted a government of Thaksin's allies, which had come to power after December 2007 elections to restore democracy.
Anti-Thaksin demonstrators, backed by some powerful military figures, never accepted a government of the ousted prime minister's allies and staged a three-month occupation of the prime minister's office.
The court rulings dissolving the government ended the protests and also the airport occupation, which cut off one of Asia's busiest hubs during the start of high tourism season.
Abhisit's Democrat Party later cobbled together a new ruling coalition from defecting supporters of the previous government and he was elected prime minister by parliamentary vote.
Critics said the court rulings and Abhisit's appointment came under pressure from the military and other unelected groups.
Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon, remains popular among the rural majority. He now lives in self-imposed exile after jumping bail on corruption charges related to his rule in Thailand. He has said he cannot get a fair trial in his home country.
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