Padipat to step down as deputy House speaker if Move Forward leads opposition

Padipat was elected to the post while the Move Forward was still leading its failed effort to form a coalition government with the Pheu Thai Party and six other micro parties.

Now that the Move Forward – which won the most MP seats in the May 14 election – has been pushed to the opposition bench by its former ally, Pheu Thai, Move Forward is eligible to lead the opposition because it has the most MPs among opposition parties.

Regulations of the House of Representatives preclude the party that leads the opposition from holding the House speaker and deputy speaker posts.

Padipat told reporters on Thursday that although his party is now an opposition party, he could still be a neutral deputy House speaker. He will be fair to both government and opposition MPs during House meetings, he said. “But I’m ready to accept the decision of the Move Forward executive board,” Padipat added.

Now that the Move Forward is on the opposition side, Padipat’s role as a deputy House speaker was questioned by some coalition MPs on Thursday.

Pheu Thai MPs reprimanded Padipat during a House meeting for not wearing a tie while chairing a House meeting.

Pheu Thai MP Nikhom Boonwiset said during the meeting that regulations required members of the House to wear either a suit or the white parliamentary uniform to attend a meeting, but Padipat wore a suit without a necktie.

This was rude and set a bad example for other MPs, Nikhom claimed.

Pheu Thai MP Adisorn Piengket backed up his colleague, saying the sight of Padipat without a necktie caused him discomfort.

Adisorn even proposed setting up a committee to study proper attire for MPs and senators.

Padipat cut short the debate about his attire, saying he was certain that he was dressed politely in a suit. The Chinese-collar shirt he was wearing did not require a necktie, he explained, adding that he would be more careful about what he wore for future meetings.

Another Pheu Thai MP, Thirachai Saenkaew, tried to protest but Padipat cut him short, saying the meeting was being observed by some members of the public and he did not want them to see MPs waste time on non-issues.