25-5-2023 (Bangkok) The Move Forward Party, a first-time election winner, is aiming for the House Speaker position in Thailand to push through the changes it promised Thai voters, including drafting a new constitution. The party needs to secure the post to accelerate legislative procedures once it has formed the country’s next government with coalition partners, according to MP-elect Sirikanya Tansakun, who made the announcement on Thursday.
The party won an unexpected victory in the May 14 general election, beating big parties such as Pheu Thai with 151 seats in parliament. Following its historic win, Move Forward Party formed a coalition with seven political allies, including Pheu Thai, Prachachat, Thai Liberal Party, Thai Sang Thai, Fair, Plung Sungkom Mai, and Pue Thai Rumphlang. Together, they have 312 seats in the 500-member House of Representatives.
Besides bringing forward the 45 Bills, Move Forward Party is also committed to drafting a new constitution, which Ms Sirikanya said will be carried out by elected members of the Constitution Drafting Assembly. She explained that securing the House Speaker position is crucial to ensuring a smooth process of charter amendment and paving the way for the drafting of a new constitution.
The MP-elect also said the party aims to create an open parliament and promote public engagement in their system of checks and balances. This will involve live broadcasting meetings of parliamentary committees and sub-committees, supporting the Parliamentary Budget Office in examining the government budget, and forming a youth parliament to better engage young people in politics.
However, this move towards securing the House Speaker position may face resistance from some coalition partners. An MP-elect from the Pheu Thai Party has voiced his opposition against the coalition leader’s wish to occupy the key position, despite supporting the Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat to become Thailand’s next prime minister.
Mr Adisorn Piangket believes that the legislative power should not come under the same political group, even though Move Forward Party won a majority of seats in the Lower House. He suggested that the House Speaker position should be decided in a parliamentary vote to make it democratic.
According to Ms Sirikanya, the coalition partners are still in the process of allocating ministries and ironing out differences in policies and implementation. No decision has been made about the next House Speaker yet.
Meanwhile, top leaders of the Pheu Thai camp have expressed their support for the Move Forward Party to form a coalition government and for Mr Pita to become the next prime minister. The party has repeatedly maintained its unwavering support for Move Forward to lead Thailand’s next government amid speculation on whether or not the election winner will be able to garner enough votes from the House of Representatives and the Senate to win the premiership.
For Mr Pita to become prime minister, his party needs the approval of more than half of the 750-seat National Assembly, or at least 376 votes in either the House of Representatives alone or the Senate as well. The Move Forward Party’s drive to secure the House Speaker position highlights the importance of having a clear majority to push through legislative changes and fulfill campaign promises. The party’s commitment to drafting a new constitution and creating an open parliament underscores its vision for a more inclusive and participatory democracy in Thailand.