Thai NLA can continue to work after some resignations

BANGKOK, August 29 (TNA) - The National Legislative Assembly (NLA) can continue to perform its duties although some members have resigned. NLA Vice President Surachai Liangboonlertchai told journalists on Friday that there are still a total of 192 NLA members after additional five of them have resigned this week, following the resignation of the first three when the NLA was first established. Surachai explained the NLA members can perform their duties normally because the current provisional Constitution specifies that NLA members must not exceed 220. Surachai insisted that the resignation of the latest five NLA members will neither affect NLA operations nor expenses because none of them has received money for attending NLA meetings so far. The NLA vice president said he believed the army-led National Council for Peace and Order, also headed by newly-appointed Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha, would appoint more NLA members later to replace those who have resigned, but the total number of NLA members must not exceed 220 as stated in the interim Charter. The NLA vice president anticipated, meanwhile, that the new Cabinet line-up to be soon announced by the new prime minister would include some of those having resigned from being NLA members. (TNA)