Opposition Leader Rom Calls for Five-Day No-Confidence Debate

Rom reiterated that the five‑day no‑confidence debate is fitting and vowed to ‘crush the blue‑coloured establishment’, noting that attempts to reduce it to three days reveal government anxiety. He promised a robust session backed by firm evidence, not mere speculation, and asked whether MP Chaiyanon is a ‘bird in the nest’ or a ‘heart‑box’. At 1:30 p.m. on 19 October 2026 in the Future Forward Building, Rangsiman Rome, a party‑list MP and deputy leader of the People’s Party, told reporters he has not yet discussed the matter with Minister Pharadprasert. He explained that past discussions about the debate’s length and schedule must go through the three‑party whip system—government whip, opposition whip, and the cabinet—because the opposition’s motion cannot be dictated by government convenience; it is a parliamentary agenda. He stressed that the substance of talks must start from the fact that 18 ministers are subject to questioning and the opposition has prepared many speakers, given the large number of participants and the time required. Rom said the motion belongs to parliament and was proposed by the opposition, so the proposers must be respected, and the allotted time must allow all 18 ministers to be examined. If the government insists on only three days, it shows insecurity and fear that giving the opposition more time could affect the government, so dialogue is needed rather than imposing limits, which would be akin to evading opposition scrutiny. Regarding the preparation of debaters, Rom said they have assembled a strong team, ready to present both familiar and new information that could implicate politicians, whether ministers or government allies, if the country’s laws are applied normally. He urged fellow MPs to heed their conscience and asked whether the nation should allow the ‘blue‑coloured establishment’ to monopolise power, wield authority without regard for the rule of law, economic management, or public interest, merely serving their own networks. Rom declared that today’s goal is to show that Thailand can no longer tolerate such conduct, and that the opposition has prepared witnesses, documents, and data highlighting the nation’s problems. He added that today’s proceedings are well‑planned and he is confident in the evidence, noting that each minister facing questioning may have several MPs joining the debate because there are many issues to address. When asked whether the allotted speaking time would differ for each minister, Rom said it would not be equal, implying that Pharadprasert would have to consider the same point; compressing the opposition’s time would signal that the government intends to offer no explanation, relying on its own strength and backing while ignoring legal principles and correctness. He concluded by questioning whether such politicians should continue to be tolerated, and noted that analysts have speculated the debate might raise the issue of senatorial caucuses, though he declined to confirm that at present.