Pheu Thai MPs want House role over MFP

Most Pheu Thai MPs are insisting the new House speaker must be a candidate from their party, saying it should listen to those who voted for it rather than bow to the Move Forward Party (MFP).

The matter was raised on Wednesday at a seminar for new party MPs who were endorsed by the Election Commission on Monday after the May 14 general election.

Party executives such as Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew, deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai and secretary-general Prasert Chantararuangthong also attended.

According to party sources, many MPs were upset after some party executives previously said that in principle the House speaker post should go to the MFP as it won the most House seats while Pheu Thai, which finished as runner-up, would take the post of deputy House speaker.

The MFP finished first in last month's poll with 151 seats, 10 more than Pheu Thai. The two parties and six others have formed a 313-member prospective coalition that hopes to be the next government.

During the seminar, Pheu Thai list-MP Adisorn Piengkes said the House speaker must come from Pheu Thai.

"We have got 141 House seats. They [the MFP] have got 151. But why should we bow to them all the time? The MFP should lead the executive branch, but it's too much to also take the House speaker post.

"I am fighting for the sake of Pheu Thai's interests ... We cannot let the MFP take the House speaker seat. We have several candidates suitable for the post. Don't bow to them too easily.

"Pheu Thai has 22 years of political experience and it is not a branch of the MFP,'' Mr Adisorn said.

Speaking after the seminar, Dr Cholnan said most party MPs agreed the House speaker should be a Pheu Thai-chosen candidate. Over 10 million people voted for the party during the election.

However, he said the party may have to call a meeting to decide on the matter.

Mr Phumtham said after the seminar that he led a team of negotiators to discuss the allocation of cabinet seats with the MFP.

He said during the talks that he proposed the two parties get 14 cabinet seats each with the MFP entitled to the prime ministerial position.

Mr Phumtham said he also proposed that since the number of House seats won by Pheu Thai is only less than the MFP's by a small margin, it would be appropriate if the House speaker position belongs to Pheu Thai.

"We asked them to consider the proposal quickly. But no further discussion has taken place,'' he said.

Deputy Pheu Thai leader list-MP Sutin Klungsang said no conclusion was reached on who gets the House speaker position during the seminar.

Pheu Thai will hold a general assembly again to vote on the matter, Mr Sutin said.

Party executives will have to thrash out the issue and find ways to avoid conflict with the MFP, he added.

Prachachat Party leader Wan Muhamad Nor Matha warned the formation of the new government may not go smoothly if MPs are granted a free vote on the House speaker post.

The battle over who gets the position is continuing after Pheu Thai on Monday denied having earlier agreed to let the MFP have it.

Mr Phumtham on Monday said both parties still have to agree on the matter, despite claiming on Sunday that the MFP had agreed to give Pheu Thai two deputy House speaker posts in exchange for the House speaker position.

He backtracked on Sunday's statement, saying he was just stating his belief that the House speaker position should go to the party which won the most House seats in the election.

Source:
courtesy of BANGKOK POST

by AEKARACH SATTABURUTH

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