Pheu Thai’s Pichet, Bhumjaithai’s Paradorn elected deputy House speakers
The two win posts without contest as People’s Party does not nominate candidates
The House of Representatives on Wednesday elected Pheu Thai Party MP Pichet Chuamuangphan and Bhumjaithai Party MP Paradorn Prissanananthakul as the first and second deputy House speakers respectively.
Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul nominated Pichet as the candidate for the post of first deputy House speaker with no one else being nominated to contest for the post. As a result, Pichet won the post with no need for the House to vote.
Pichet replaced former Move Forward Party MP Padipat Suntiphada as first deputy House speaker.
Padipat lost the post and MP status after the Constitutional Court dissolved the Move Forward Party on August 7 and banned its executives. When Padipat was banned from politics, he was an MP of Fair Party, which he joined in a technical move so that then Move Forward leader Chaithawat Tulathon could become opposition leader.
Pichet resigned as second deputy House speaker on Tuesday so that he could contest for the post of first deputy House speaker on Wednesday.
After Pichet was elected, Pheu Thai secretary-general Sorawong Thienthong nominated Paradorn for the post of second deputy House speaker.
No one else was nominated so Paradon won the post without the need for a vote.
People’s Party MP Sasinan Thamnithinan informed the House meeting that her party would not contest for the two deputy posts as party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut wanted to continue working as the opposition leader.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will submit the two names of deputy House speakers for the King to formally appoint them with a royal command.
