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Thailand’s cabinet backed a proposal from lawmakers to convene a special session of the parliament to discuss anti-government protests that have swept the nation’s capital and other major cities in the past week.
The house will meet for two days from Oct. 26, Anucha Nakasai, minister for Prime Minister’s Office, told reporters after a cabinet meeting in Bangkok Tuesday. The proposal needs to be endorsed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
Thai lawmakers on Monday sought an early parliament meeting to discuss ways to end the protest movement calling for the ouster of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha’s government, a rewriting of the constitution and reform of the monarchy. Thousands of protesters rallied in Bangkok for a sixth straight day on Monday, defying a ban on gatherings and the threat of crackdowns by the police.
The protests have weighed on the country’s stocks and currency as concerns mount a prolonged standoff may erode company earnings and delay an economic recovery. The benchmark stock index, the worst performer in Asia this year, was headed for a fifth straight day of losses, while the baht fell 0.2% to 31.259 to a dollar, extending losses this year to 4.2%.
On Tuesday, Prayuth ordered police to reconsider censorship of media outlets, a day after police said they would probe four news outlets that may have violated the emergency rules imposed in Bangkok last week.
“Our job is to protect the country and eliminate ill-intentioned actions aimed at creating chaos and conflict in the country,” Prayuth told reporters after the cabinet meeting.
The protesters have vowed to carry on the demonstrations until all their demands are met. The organizers said there would be a “surprise” for the government if authorities failed to release all detained protesters and lift the emergency rules by 6 p.m. local time.
(BLOOMBERG)
