Dinner to organise government; Thaksin may join coalition talks

It is expected that important topics will be discussed, including the political direction of the government, particularly the case involving a leaked audio recording of a conversation between Cambodian President of Senate, Hun Sen and Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who has been temporarily suspended from office by the court due to the matter.

The meeting is also expected to address the importance of maintaining quorum during parliamentary sessions to prevent collapses, as well as discussions on the allocation of the vacant position of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

There have been ongoing debates about which party should be entitled to this role, with contenders including Pheu Thai Party, United Thai Nation Party, and the Kla Tham Party.

Additionally, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra is expected to join the dinner with the coalition government leaders.

Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who is currently acting as Prime Minister, commented on the dinner meeting, which has sparked speculation about Thaksin's attendance. He mentioned that he was unaware of Thaksin's plans and suggested that inquiries be directed to Thaksin himself. However, he confirmed that everything was proceeding as normal for a gathering of coalition members to meet and share a meal.

Regarding the topics of discussion, Phumtham stated that it would mainly be about building relationships, socialising, and exchanging ideas.

When asked whether Thaksin could legally attend, Phumtham responded that it would depend on the legal process, as such events typically do not allow external individuals to join. He also expressed uncertainty about whether opposition party MPs might surprise the gathering by attending.

On the topic of campaigning in Si Sa Ket province, a reporter asked if Paetongtarn, as Pheu Thai's leader, would personally visit the area. Phumtham replied that it would depend on the schedule, as the party’s executive committee and relevant officials would be in charge of organising such activities. He also mentioned that if he had the time, he would attend.

As for Pheu Thai MPs requesting that the party leader visit constituencies to support campaigning, Phumtham said that this would be determined by the party's executive committee and the Election Commission.

Pheu Thai party moves decisively for the position of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Wisut Chaiyarun, a Pheu Thai list MP and the government whip, acknowledged that, initially, he was aware that Thaksin would be joining the dinner with coalition parties. He considered this normal, as in the two years since the government was formed, coalition MPs have only dined together once. However, this time, due to the removal of certain parties from the coalition, the remaining parties needed to meet for consultation and understanding, to ensure unity and cooperation within the House of Representatives, which is crucial.

When asked if this could be seen as an attempt to control the parties, Wisut clarified that dining together and engaging in discussions did not equate to control. He explained that "control" would imply issuing orders for the party to follow, whereas providing knowledge and sharing work experiences was a different matter.

Regarding the Constitutional Court's upcoming deliberation of the case against Phichet Cheamuangphan, the First Deputy Speaker of the House, concerning alleged violations of Article 144 of the Constitution on August 1, Wisut expressed his support for his fellow party member. He added that he was unaware of the details of Phichet's actions, but ultimately, the matter would be decided by the Constitutional Court.

Phichet has been accused of endorsing the development of three projects and approving the budget proposal for the Secretariat of the House of Representatives, which involves the allocation of the annual budget for the fiscal year 2025. He is alleged to have been directly or indirectly involved in the use of these funds.  

When asked about the election for the vacant position of the Second Deputy Speaker, Wisut confirmed that the election would take place on July 24. The Pheu Thai Party would hold a meeting on July 22 to discuss potential candidates for nomination. He mentioned that the party's MPs from the northeastern region, which has the largest number of MPs, should be considered for the position.

During a meeting of the Senate, a motion was proposed to delay or amend the agenda for the meeting on July 22, 2025, which is scheduled to consider the approval of nominations for two Constitutional Court judges and one Election Commission (EC) member. 

The reason given for the motion was the potential for "conflicts of interest," as several Senators are either parties to ongoing legal cases or are under investigation by constitutional organisations.

After a private meeting, the Senate voted against the motion to delay the agenda, with 130 votes in favour, 7 against, and 13 abstentions. As a result, the nominations for the three positions will proceed as planned. 

These include the approval of two Constitutional Court judges: Pol Capt Sutthum Cheuprakobkit, a professor in the field of public administration at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Mahidol University, to replace Nakharin Mektrirat, the current President of the Constitutional Court, and Sarawut Songsiwilai, former director-general of the Department of Rail Transport and the Department of Highways, to replace Panya Utchachon, whose term has ended.

Sarawut, who previously held key positions in the Ministry of Transport under former Deputy Prime Minister Saksayam Chidchob of the Phumjai Thai Party, has been closely watched due to his backing from the "blue" faction in the competition for this role.

Meanwhile, Sutthum has been serving as an advisor to the Minister of Justice, Tawee Sodsong, since September 28, 2023, and continued to be engaged in his role as of the date of his nomination.

The Senate will also consider the nomination of Narong Klanwarin, Head of the Supreme Court’s team, for the position of Election Commission member, replacing Pakorn Mahannop, whose term ended after reaching the age of 70.

For the nominations to pass, each candidate must receive votes from at least half of the total number of Senators present.