Thailand-Politics

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

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)
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Source: Voice of America
 .