Bangkok: The appointment of the vice president of the parliament has been delayed amidst a chaotic atmosphere in the House of Representatives, where opposition MPs are vehemently contesting proceedings. Sisaket MP for Pheu Thai, Nuchanat, has reported a shooting incident in her hometown, adding urgency to the parliamentary proceedings. Meanwhile, Dr. Phumin has criticized the parliament for wasting time on trivial matters, emphasizing that millions of people in the border region are enduring hardships.
According to Thai News Agency, the House of Representatives meeting, chaired by Speaker Mr. Wan Muhammad Noor Matha, became tumultuous when Mr. Watcharapol Khao Kham, MP for the Pheu Thai Party, proposed a motion to modify the agenda. The proposal was to prioritize the vote for the Second Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives over live questioning. However, Mr. Pakornwut Udompipatnasakul, MP for the Prachachon Party and Chief Whip of the Opposition, opposed this, insisting on adhering to the original agenda.
Mr. Wan Muhammad Noor explained that regulations necessitated a vote if there was a disagreement. After checking the quorum, he announced the presence of 255 MPs, which was above the required number. A vote was swiftly conducted to decide on postponing the agenda, but it resulted in dissatisfaction among opposition MPs who felt rushed and requested their votes be recorded. Mr. Phradon Prisananantakul, MP for Ang Thong from the Bhumjaithai Party, called for a revote, citing the recent entry of many MPs into the meeting. However, this was met with objections from the government whip.
The atmosphere further deteriorated when Mr. Wan Muhammad Noor announced the votes: 246 in favor of changing the agenda, 47 against, and 1 abstention. The opposition MPs’ demand to record their votes led to frustration among government MPs who viewed it as a delay tactic. The ongoing unrest in the Thai-Cambodian border area necessitated a swift resolution to the parliamentary proceedings to address the crisis.
Ms. Nuchnat Charuwongsathian expressed the urgency of the situation by highlighting the shooting incident in Sisaket, urging for expedited proceedings. Mr. Wan Muhammad Noor acknowledged the severity of the situation and called for calm, emphasizing the need to listen to all parties involved.
Dr. Phumin Leethiraprasert criticized the parliament for diverting focus from the border clashes to trivial issues, urging the chairman to proceed with the meeting efficiently. Dr. Tossaporn Sereerak further criticized the new method of delaying meetings, suggesting a more concise process for recording votes as evidence.
Mr. Wan Muhammad Noor urged calmness, recognizing the need to record votes but stressing the importance of finalizing the matter to allow the meeting to proceed. Despite continued arguments, Mr. Wan Muhammad Noor proceeded with the process of selecting the second deputy speaker, overriding objections for restarting the voting process.