Thammanat denies planning to name Suchart for House speaker

By Thai Newsroom Reporters

PALANG PRACHARATH MP THAMMANAT Prompao today (June 28) categorically denied he had planned to name Pheu Thai MP Suchart Tancharoen as a contestant against Move Forward MP Padipat Santipada for House speaker.

The re-elected MP of Payao confirmed he has observed the political etiquette to not tamper with the post-election businesses of the Move Forward-led coalition partners, beginning with the naming of a House speaker, which are by no means involving his own party.

Thammanat apparently made his comments in response to speculation that the Palang Pracharath might probably name Suchart, a former deputy House speaker, in sheer competition with the Move Forward candidate for head of the legislative branch.

Suchart had earlier hopped over from the Palang Pracharath to the Pheu Thai to contest last month’s election in the latter’s party-listed mode. Lawmakers of one party may legally name candidates attached to another party for positions at parliament.

Nonetheless, speculation remains to the extent that if the Pheu Thai has finally failed to grab the House Speaker seat, thus giving it up to Padipat, either the Palang Pracharath led by Prawit Wongsuwan or the Bhumjaithai under de facto party boss Newin Chidchob might probably name a rival candidate for it.

The Pheu Thai under de facto party boss Thaksin Shinawatra has finally made an aboutface to insist the head of the legislative branch belong to the second largest elected party whilst that of the executive branch has already been given to the largest elected party’s leader Pita Limjaroenrat.

Further talks between Move Forward and Pheu Thai negotiators which has been postponed from today is expected shortly to hammer out a mutual agreement over the House Speaker post.

A simple majority of the elected legislators will be obliged to pick a House speaker by way of voting in the first House meeting scheduled for July 4, following a state ceremony in which His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn is scheduled to open the newly-elected House of Representatives a day earlier.

CAPTIONS:

Top: Palang Pracharath MP Thammanat Prompao, right, and Pheu Thai MP Suchart Tancharoen. Photo: Thai Rath

Front Page: MP Thammanat Prompao. Photo: Matichon

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