“Anutin” proposes Oct 27-30 for censure debate, willing to grant more hours to opposition, declines to comment on Cabinet reshuffle and Kla Dharma merger

Today (21 October 2026) at 10:00 AM at Parliament, Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, gave an interview regarding the timeframe for the no-confidence debate, stating that a three-party whip meeting would take place today. On the Cabinet's side, Mr. Pharadon Prissananantakul, Minister Attached to the Prime Minister's Office, has been assigned as representative to join the meeting. He noted that while this cannot be stated purely as the government's demand, the government's proposal is to hold the debate when all ministers—especially all 18 targeted ministers—are not scheduled for overseas trips. The period of Oct 27–30, 2026, is viewed as the most suitable window because certain ministers have upcoming commitments afterward, while he himself has official overseas trips as well as a mobile Cabinet meeting in Udon Thani Province, which follows the opening of the World Horticultural Exposition and serves as an opportunity to emphasize agricultural policies.

The Prime Minister further stated that following those events, there are crucial commitments such as the ASEAN Summit and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, along with various royal ceremonies requiring rehearsals and traffic closures. Particularly for the ASEAN and APEC summits, ministers from several key ministries must attend, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, and Ministry of Public Health. Therefore, holding the debate during Oct 27–30, 2026, presents the optimal timing for everyone to be present to listen to the debate and clarify issues together.

When asked whether the debate timeframe is clear given that the Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Bhutan from Oct 31 to Nov 1, Mr. Anutin explained that he had already informed the relevant parties and believes everyone has valid reasons that allow for mutual flexibility. He has assigned Mr. Pharadon to propose in the meeting that the proportion of debate hours for the opposition could be increased. This is because ministers providing clarifications do not need to speak for hours, as overly lengthy responses risk going off-topic. Clarifications should focus on core substance—answering clearly with supporting evidence for whatever is asked. If the dates cannot be shifted, agreeing to increase daily debate hours to reach a balanced compromise would be a good solution that avoids creating tension for all parties.

Regarding whether the opposition would accept this proposal upon receiving additional debate hours, the Prime Minister stated that it depends on the outcome of the three-party whip discussions.

When asked whether there will be clarity on a Cabinet reshuffle following the conclusion of the no-confidence debate, Mr. Anutin replied that the debate has not even begun yet and urged taking things step-by-step.

Concerning rumors about a political party merger with the Kla Dharma Party after the no-confidence debate, the Prime Minister stated that even the debate dates have not yet been finalized. When pressed further on the possibility of a merger, Mr. Anutin reiterated his stance, emphasizing that things must proceed step-by-step. Since the meeting dates cannot even be set today, everyone should wait for the debate dates to be finalized, listen to the debate, and complete the vote before addressing other matters.

Furthermore, when reporters mentioned reports concerning a merger with the Kla Dharma Party, the Prime Minister immediately asked back, “Who reported that?” When reporters replied that it was general news reporting, Mr. Anutin concluded by saying that if it was the reporters' own reporting, they should ask amongst themselves.

Photo : Weeraphat Ratsameerueangrong