Constitution allows Paetongtarn to rush flood relief, says Warong

Thai Phakdee Party chairman Warong Dechgitvigrom said on Wednesday that the Constitution allows the prime minister to send help to flood victims before delivering the government’s policy statement to Parliament.

Warong posted on his Facebook wall that the second paragraph of Article 162 of the Constitution allowed the prime minister to carry out urgent missions without waiting to make the policy statement in Parliament.

Warong made the Facebook post after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra told reporters earlier in the day that she had concerns for flood victims in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province, but she could not give any orders now.

Paetongtarn said she would hold an urgent meeting of concerned government agencies on Thursday afternoon to command and direct food relief for flood victims in Chiang Rai after she delivers the policy statement to Parliament in the morning.

Warong said a prime minister should be more well-versed about the charter.

Warong also quoted the second paragraph of Article 162 as saying:
“Before stating policies to the National Assembly under paragraph one, if there occurs a case of importance and necessary urgency which, if left delayed, will affect vital interests of the State, the Council of Ministers which has taken office may, for the time being, perform such acts in so far as it is necessary.”

“Paetongtarn can give instructions immediately because flooding is a case of importance and necessary urgency. If she waits until after the policy statement announcement, people will die,” Warong said in the post.

“I would like to tell her babysitter to train her better.”