House expected to pick

House expected to pick next PM on Friday

    Published: 3/08/2011 at 12:00 AM
    Newspaper section: News

The next House meeting to choose the new prime minister is expected to take place on Friday following the selection of Pheu Thai MP for Khon Kaen Somsak Kiatsuranont as House speaker.

Presumptive prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and fellow new Pheu Thai MPs give a show of hands during the first meeting of the House of Representatives, where Khon Kaen MP Somsak Kiatsuranont was elected as the House speaker. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD

Mr Somsak's appointment is pending royal endorsement.

Pheu Thai MP for Chaiyaphum Charoen Chankolmol and Pheu Thai MP for Phayao Wisut Chainarun have been selected as the first and second deputy speakers, respectively, also pending royal approval.

Mr Somsak said yesterday there were informal discussions about the next meeting in which the prime minister would be chosen.

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"It is speculated that the House may meet to vote on the prime minister on Aug 5 .

"I'll say how I will handle the session after the royal endorsement," he said.

Mr Somsak was selected as House speaker uncontested.

Last week, Pheu Thai list MP Col Apiwan Wiriyachai, tipped as a candidate for speaker, announced he would not compete for the post.

Mr Somsak, of the Pheu Thai Party, was nominated by Chartthaipattana MP Paradon Prissanananthakul for the speaker post and the nomination was supported by 20 MPs as required by House regulations.

The nominations of Mr Charoen and Mr Wisut were also uncontested.

Observers said it was unprecedented that the speaker and his deputies came from the same party. In the past, the deputies were from coalition partners.

Former House speaker Chai Chidchob, who is the most senior MP, yesterday chaired the first meeting of the House of Representatives to select the new speaker.

Would-be prime minister and Pheu Thai No.1 list-candidate Yingluck Shinawatra, said yesterday the cabinet line-up is about 50% complete.

She insisted that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, her elder brother, did not have a say in the matter.

Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said the party has appointed an ad hoc committee to coordinate parliamentary affairs with coalition partners while a government is being formed.

He said the panel, chaired by MP for Ayutthaya Witthaya Buranasiri, will serve until a government whip is in place.

He added that Pheu Thai MPs would meet today to prepare for a second House meeting on Friday when a prime minister is expected to be chosen.

Outgoing defence minister Prawit Wongsuwon yesterday did not rule out the chance of retaining his post in the Pheu Thai-led administration.

He said he is ready to hold talks about working with Pheu Thai but so far he has not approached the party to discuss the matter.

Gen Prawit is reportedly the armed forces' favourite choice for the defence portfolio but Pheu Thai members who served in the military prefer Gen Yutthasak Sasiprapa, a deputy defence minister in the Thaksin administration.