The secretary-general of the Move Forward Party says the party’s choice for House Speaker candidate should be confirmed by the middle of this month.
Chaithawat Tulathon says the party has not yet made a decision but the ongoing dispute between Move Forward and the Pheu Thai Party over who gets the post will be resolved by then. The Move Forward Party insists it needs the post in order to get 45 draft bills over the line and make good on their campaign promises.
The Bangkok Post reports that Cholnan Srikaew, leader of the Pheu Thai Party, says they will not discuss potential Pheu Thai candidates for the Speaker post until the matter has been resolved with Move Forward.
“It was agreed at the recent meeting that the issue would not affect the coalition formation. This means if we have an agreement, the coalition formation will proceed without any conflict. We don’t want any conditions. We don’t want the issue to be settled in a free vote.”
Meanwhile, the leader of the Thai Sang Thai Party, one of 6 other parties in coalition with Move Forward and Pheu Thai, says the two parties at loggerheads over the role need to sort it out. Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan says she believes the matter should not be decided by a free vote.
“A free vote will cause problems in the formation of the government. They should finalise it.”
In related news, Jurin Laksanawisit, acting leader of the Democrat Party, says it’s a mistaken assumption that the House Speaker post can be used to push forward a party’s agenda. Jurin says the Speaker is expected to remain neutral during parliamentary sessions and the role is governed by the rules laid down for such meetings and by the constitution.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
