Wan Noor emerges as compromise candidate for House speaker

He was speaking at a press conference at ‎Lancaster Bangkok Hotel after ending the stand-off between Move Forward and Pheu Thai – the two biggest partners of the next coalition government.

Pita said there will be two deputy House speakers -- a Move Forward and a Pheu Thai candidate.

He said the eight-party coalition comprising Move Forward, Pheu Thai, Thai Sang Thai, Thai Liberal, Prachachart, Fair, Plung Sungkom Mai, and Peu Thai Ruamphalang parties have all agreed to support the candidates.

Pita also pledged that Pheu Thai and Move Forward were ready to approve laws in the people's interest, including pardon for political prisoners and military reform.

He said that this move would help boost the coalition's efficiency in forming the government based on transparency and the people's interest.

"We believe that the agreement on House speaker and deputy House speakers will be the beginning of cooperation in line with people's mandate in the May 14 election," he said.

Pita said Wan Noor had agreed to serve as the House speaker if it was the demand of the people and the two major coalition parties. Pita believes that Wan Noor will help the coalition achieve success in forming the government.

Meanwhile, Pheu Thai deputy leader Phumtham Wechayachai said the two parties had chosen Wan Noor as House speaker as the solution to end their stand-off.

"What is more important than securing the House speaker's seat is cooperation to steer the democratic government so as to meet the people's expectations," he said.

Wan Noor, who has been elected to the House nine times, was House speaker from November 24, 1996, to June 27, 2000, when he was a New Aspiration Party MP. The 79-year-old politician has been an MP with several parties, including Social Action, Democrat, New Aspiration and Thai Rak Thai before he became the leader of Prachachart.