June 23, 2008
BANGKOK (AFP) - Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, already under pressure from street protests and a looming no-confidence vote, was grilled Monday by the Senate over his management of the economy.
"The country is in a crisis caused by this government," Senator Sumon Sutaviriyawat said at the start of the nationally televised debate. "The country is not peaceful, and economic problems have not been solved."
Samak government took shape four months ago.
The prime minister was accused of trying to amend the nation's constitution to curb the investigation into Thaksin, while ignoring economic problems.
"The government has failed to solve our economic problems and focused on amending the constitution, which clearly shows that they want to help the former prime minister," Sumon said.
The Senate, in which nearly half the seats were appointed under the army-backed constitution, will not vote at the end of the debate.
The lower house will open a no-confidence debate on Tuesday that will lead to a vote on Thursday.
Samak's coalition controls about two thirds of the 480 seats in the House of Representatives, and analysts say he is expected to easily survive the vote.
