Thai PM makes moves to placate coalition

"I will explain to the other coalition partners about all the related topics involving the issue of constitutional amendment," he said yesterday.

He said that he would consult Social Action Party leader Suwit Khunkitti, who is the natural resources and environment minister, about calling the meeting. Suwit is the rotating host of the next gathering of the coalition leaders.

The prime minister, who is also the Democrat leader, also dismissed the coalition parties' threat to let their MPs vote freely in the censure debate after the Democrats decided to opt out of the charter rewrite.

"I read the news and it was nothing. The news said [they] are going to push for the charter amendment and the censure motion is in the future. MPs are entitled, anyway, to vote as per their thinking on a no-confidence motion as stipulated in the Constitution. There is nothing to be excited about. There is not any problem," he said.

The coalition parties continued to work as usual yesterday but he wanted to hold talks with them on a timeline and to clarify that the Democrats had done everything that they had said they would do.

"I said if we're going to amend the Constitution for reconciliation or to make the charter more democratic, then we can cooperate. But if they are going to be specific on some points that we have a differing opinion on, then that is another matter. But for sure, we won't change the Constitution to grant amnesty," he said.