Bangkok: Sophon Saram, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has dismissed opposition requests for a review of his decision regarding an urgent motion on establishing a special committee to oversee a 400 billion baht loan under the Emergency Decree. During a recent parliamentary session, Ms. Sirikanya Tansakul, a People's Party MP, argued that the Speaker may have lacked sufficient information and urged a reconsideration, especially since the Cabinet had already moved forward with the loan approval.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Sophon explained the procedural steps for issuing emergency decrees, emphasizing that once a decree is published in the Royal Gazette, it becomes legally binding. He noted that any parliamentary disagreement could be addressed through a proposal for a ruling, which he forwarded to the Constitutional Court. He further clarified that a parliamentary committee, led by the Deputy Speaker, reviews the urgency of submitted motions, and he adhered to their conclusion that it was not urgent.
Ms. Sirikanya contended that while the committee screens motions, the ultimate decision lies with the Speaker, suggesting that motion proponents should provide comprehensive justifications. Meanwhile, Abhisit Vejjajiva of the Democrat Party expressed understanding of both sides, highlighting that the government's current approach, which proceeds without awaiting the Constitutional Court's ruling, differs from past practices. He queried whether the screening committee could re-evaluate the situation if circumstances had changed.
Attakorn Sirilatthayakon of the Kla Tham Party argued that the government's issuance of the decree suggests urgency, criticizing the screening committee's decision. He advocated for parliamentary discussion, emphasizing MPs' responsibility to scrutinize government actions, and urged the Speaker to reconsider the matter.
Despite these discussions, Speaker Sophon maintained his decision not to prioritize the motion as urgent, moving forward with other parliamentary agenda items.