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BANGKOK - Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva faced the first concerted bid to topple his fledgling government Thursday as lawmakers debated an opposition no-confidence motion against him and five ministers.
The motion filed by the opposition Puea Thai party, which is allied to fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, accuses the British-born Abhisit and his colleagues of corruption, mismanagement and incompetence.
Abhisit said he was confident his three-month-old administration could ride out the threat, the latest round in the bitter political dogfight that has divided the kingdom since Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup.
"I'm not afraid of any knockout punch, as I haven't committed any shameful acts," Abhisit told reporters at his offices in Bangkok before heading to parliament for the two-day debate.
Abhisit is named in the motion alongside Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij, his deputy Pradit Patharaprasit, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul and his deputy Boonchong Wongtrairat.
"I am not excited at all, because I have been in parliament for a long time and the process is normal in democratic rule," Abhisit said.
Abhisit, the leader of the ruling Democrat Party, is expected to win the vote due on Saturday with the help of coalition allies but the motion will serve to increase his dependence on smaller parties.
The Oxford-educated economist came to power in December after a court ruling toppled the then-ruling party allied to Thaksin - after which the Democrats then won over parties that were part of the previous coalition government.
The court decision followed months of often violent protests peaking in the occupation of Bangkok's two airports late last year by a royalist, Thaksin-hating movement known as the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).
Angered by what they felt was the undemocratic ousting of the last government, Thaksin supporters have been protesting against Abhisit ever since.
Launching the debate in parliament Thursday, the chairman of the Puea Thai party's MPs, Chalerm Yoobamrung, accused Abhisit of certifying false party financial statements for 2004 in his capacity as head of the Democrats.
He also alleged that the Democrat Party had received illegal donations worth more than 200 million baht (5.7 million dollars) from party members.
"Abhisit has gravely violated political party law twice," he told lawmakers.
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