Pheu Thai will propose Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, the leader of Prachachart, as the House Speaker, according to a senior member of the party.
Suriya Juangroongruangkit confirmed the proposal this morning ahead of the party’s meeting on the Speaker today. The voting for the seat is tomorrow.
Pheu Thai and the Move Forward Party (MFP) have been unable to agree on who should take the position. Suriya stated that since the two parties cannot agree on the seat, they are exploring a neutral option and have already approached Wan Noor for the position.
The Move Forward Party insists that the seat belongs to them because they won the election. Traditionally, the seat goes to the party that won the election to ensure a smooth transition of government. The MFP’s candidate is Phitsanulok MP Padipat Suntiphada.
Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai Party insists that the seat should go to them because the MFP is already getting the prime minister seat, and there is only a 10 MP seat difference between the two parties. Pheu Thai MPs also argue that their candidates would be more suitable.
Wan Noor was a former House Speaker during Chavalit Yongchaiyudh’s administration between 1996 and 2000. He was also a former deputy prime minister during Thaksin Shinawatra’s administration between March and October 2004.
Wan Noor, in an interview with Work Point’s TODAY, stated this morning that he is unaware of the proposal.
However, he mentioned that if Pheu Thai is looking to propose him, they should discuss it with the MFP first.
He added that he was not preparing to become the Speaker because his party only has 9 MP seats. However, if the move would resolve the deadlock on the position, he would consider it.
“We might have to help each other in order for the formation of a democratic government to continue,” he said.