Thai PM Faces No-confidence Debate

By AMBIKA AHUJA / AP WRITER

BANGKOK — Thailand's main opposition party opened a no-confidence debate Thursday against the prime minister and five key Cabinet ministers, accusing the government of taking power illegitimately and mismanaging the country.

The opposition is seeking to censure Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who took office in December following months of protests by opponents of ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, whose loyalists were then in power and now dominate the opposition.

The two-day debate, initiated by the opposition Phuea Thai Party, is to culminate in a vote Saturday that the opposition says it does not expect to win but hopes will sway public support.

Chalerm Yoobamrung, leading the debate for Phuea Thai, vowed to reveal "new evidence" that would tarnish the ruling Democrat Party's image.

Parliament named Abhisit prime minister after dozens of defections helped the Democrats form a shaky ruling coalition. The opposition argues he was not elected by popular vote.

"This government took power using special means," opposition member Jatuporn Phromphan said during the televised debate. "They never won the elections."

With about a dozen anti-government protesters burning an effigy of Abhisit outside Parliament, the prime minister defended his government's rise to power.

"I was voted in by the members of Parliament who want to see political changes in the country after what happened last year," Abhisit told lawmakers. "I came into power through a legitimate parliamentary process."

Abhisit also faced accusations that he and other Democrats covered up illegal donations to the party. He responded that the party's financial statements were cleared by the Election Commission, which found no irregularities.

Much of the opposition's anger is focused on Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, who was a vocal supporter of the anti-Thaksin demonstrators whose actions helped oust previous pro-Thaksin governments.

Kasit spoke on several occasions from the protesters' stage and praised their activism, which included a three-month siege of the government's headquarters and a weeklong shutdown of Bangkok's two airports. He hailed the airport blockade as an "innovation in public protests."

The opposition argues that Kasit is a divisive figure with no place in the government, which says its mission is to unify the deeply divided country.

Resignation is customary if a majority of lawmakers vote against any minister, but the Democrat-led ruling coalition controls a majority and is expected to prevail.

Abhisit rose to power after a court ruled that the previous pro-Thaksin ruling party was guilty of election fraud.

Critics said the court ruling and Abhisit's appointment followed pressure from the military and other unelected groups.

Thaksin, who remains popular in the countryside, was ousted in a 2006 military coup for alleged corruption and abuse of power. He fled into exile last year and has been convicted in absentia of violating a conflict of interest law.

Meanwhile a roadside bomb killed four paramilitary rangers on an intelligence-gathering operation in insurgency-plagued southern Thailand, the army spokesman said Thursday.

The rangers were returning to their base in a pickup truck when the bomb detonated in Pattani, one of three southern provinces that have faced an Islamic insurgency since early 2004, Col Parinya Chaidilok said.

"The insurgents buried a fire extinguisher that contained explosives on the roadside," Parinya said. "We believe the rangers were targeted because they were gathering intelligence for the army."

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Thousands of government-hired paramilitary rangers have been deployed in the area. The military has recruited local Muslims and Buddhists to join the army-trained units, hoping their familiarity with the geography and people will give authorities an edge over insurgents.

But many Muslims hold a deep hatred of the low-paid rangers, accusing them of abuses and human rights violations.

The Islamic separatist insurgency has led to the deaths of more than 3,300 people since early 2004 in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat—the only predominantly Muslim provinces in a country that is 90 percent Buddhist.

Abhisit announced last week that 4,000 more soldiers and other security personnel would be deployed to the region, supplementing more than 60,000 already there.

A massive counterinsurgency effort has recently slowed the pace of attacks but has shown little sign of ending the violence. Abhisit acknowledged the reinforcements were needed because of the failure to restore security.

The insurgents' attacks — which include drive-by shootings and bombings — are believed intended to frighten Buddhist residents into leaving the area. Their identity and precise goals have never been publicly declared.