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Thailand-Politics
DATE=3/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-228493
TITLE=THAILAND-POLITICS (S&L)
BYLINE=DAVID BUTLER
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN THAILAND, THE GOVERNMENT TODAY (SATURDAY) EASILY
SURVIVED A NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION. AS DAVID BUTLER REPORTS FROM
BANGKOK, THREE DAYS OF DEBATE LEADING UP TO THE CENSURE BID
CENTERED ON RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COUNTRY'S CURRENT ECONOMIC
CRISIS.
TEXT: PRIME MINISTER CHUAN LEEKPAI'S SEVEN-PARTY COALITION
GOVERNMENT BEAT BACK THE OPPOSITION'S NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION BY 208
TO 177 VOTES.
MR. CHUAN PUT TOGETHER HIS RULING COALITION GOVERNMENT IN
NOVEMBER, FOLLOWING THE COLLAPSE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF FORMER
PRIME MINISTER CHAVALIT YANGCHAIYUDH.
GENERAL CHAVALIT -- THE FORMER ARMY COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF -- HAD LED
THE COUNTRY FOR JUST A YEAR. HIS GOVERNMENT COLLAPSED AMID
WIDESPREAD PUBLIC DISCONTENT OVER THE FAILURE OF THE ECONOMY.
LEADING THE OPPOSITION DEBATE AGAINST HIS POPULAR SUCCESSOR,
GENERAL CHAVALIT ARGUED THAT THE SEEDS OF THAILAND'S ECONOMIC
SLUMP WERE SOWN DURING MR. CHUAN'S FIRST TERM AS PRIME MINISTER,
FROM 1993 TO 1995.
PRIME MINISTER CHUAN AND HIS ALLIES COUNTERED THAT THE COLLAPSE
WAS DUE TO POLICIES OF THE TWO SHORT-LIVED GOVERNMENTS BETWEEN
THE TWO CHUAN GOVERNMENTS.
ON THURSDAY, THE SECOND DAY OF THE THREE-DAY DEBATE, AN
EXASPERATED GENERAL CHAVALIT COMPLAINED THAT A DEBATE OF
NO-CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT WAS TURNING INTO ONE OF
NO-CONFIDENCE IN THE OPPOSITION.
/// REST OPT FOR LONG ///
THE MOST SPECIFIC CHARGES THE OPPOSITION BROUGHT AGAINST THE
GOVERNMENT WERE THAT IT HAS NOT DONE ENOUGH TO PUNISH THOSE
INVOLVED IN A MASSIVE ILLEGAL LOGGING SCANDAL, AND THAT THE
INDUSTRY MINISTER ACCEPTED A FIVE-MILLION-DOLLAR BRIBE IN
CONNECTION WITH A SUGAR PRICE RISE.
MR. CHUAN SAID CHARGES AGAINST THE ACCUSED OFFICIALS HAD NOT
BEEN PROVEN, AND HE WAS NOT CONTEMPLATING ANY CABINET
RESHUFFLE.
PRIME MINISTER CHUAN -- A SOFT-SPOKEN LAWYER AND THE HEAD OF
THAILAND'S OLDEST POLITICAL PARTY, THE DEMOCRATS -- IS WIDELY
CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST HONEST OF THAILAND'S CURRENT CROP OF
PARTY LEADERS.
HE WENT INTO THE DEBATE FRESH FROM A TRIP TO WASHINGTON, WHERE
PRESIDENT CLINTON PRAISED MR. CHUAN'S ROLE IN RESOLVING THE
CURRENT ECONOMIC CRISIS.
DURING THE TRIP, THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION CAME UP WITH AN
ADDITIONAL ONE-POINT-SEVEN-BILLION DOLLARS IN ASSISTANCE FOR
THAILAND.
THE FRESH FUNDS ARE ADDED TO 17-POINT-TWO-BILLION DOLLARS IN
LOANS TO THAILAND GUARANTEED BY THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND
LAST YEAR. (SIGNED)
NEB/DB/TM/WTW
21-Mar-98 3:39 AM EST (0839 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.