Veteran Pheu Thai MP Somsak Picked As House Speaker

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Veteran Pheu Thai MP picked as House speaker

By THE NATION

Pheu Thai Party resolved yesterday to support veteran politician Somsak Kiartsuranon as new Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Pheu Thai's executive board voted yesterday to nominate Somsak, a multiple-term MP from Khon Kaen, who is a former deputy House Speaker, to become the next Speaker. He will also serve as the president of Parliament.

The party also resolved to support Chaiyaphum MP Charoen Chankomol as first deputy House Speaker and Phayao MP Wisut Chainaroon as second deputy Speaker.

Political observers regarded the unanimous decision by the Pheu Thai board as a show of leadership by PM-in-waiting Yingluck Shinawatra.

Earlier, red shirts tried to pressure the party to give the House Speaker's post to pro-red politician Apiwan Wiriyachai, who served as deputy Speaker in the previous House. However, Apiwan said on Sunday he had opted out of running for the post.

It was believed that Yingluck had lobbied Apiwan to pull out for fear of rifts in the party.

Yingluck said yesterday that Somsak was favoured by the party's executive because of his strong capability and long experience as a multiple-term lawmaker. She said the positions were not allocated by regional quotas, as had been alleged.

When asked if she had any position for Apiwan, Yingluck said that would be discussed by the party. She said Apiwan and Witthaya Buranasiri, who was earlier tipped as a leading candidate for the Speaker's job, were both highly capable and could serve in the administration and the legislature.

Somsak said yesterday he was ready to accept the position in line with the executive board' decision. His first job is to organise a vote of MPs to elect Yingluck as next prime minister. He will then countersign a royal command to appoint Yingluck as Thailand's first woman prime minister.

Outgoing Deputy Interior Minister Boonjong Wontrairat of the Bhum Jai Thai Party yesterday expressed support for Somsak. Boonjong said he believed Somsak would be able to coordinate with other parties well because he was a cool-headed person.

Meanwhile, the Democrat Party, which is set to be in the opposition, resolved yesterday not to field any candidate to contest the Speaker's post at the House meeting today.

According to a source, the Democrats agreed that Pheu Thai had won a majority in the House so they should not contest for the post. In the event that another opposition party nominates a candidate, the Democrats would abstain, the source said.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02

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Somsak elected House speaker

Pheu Thai MP Somsak Kiartsuranon was Tuesday elected as the House speaker in the first House meeting at 9:30 am.

Somsak, a Khon Kaen MP, will become the ex-officio Parliamen president.

Chart Thai Pattana MP Paradorn Prissananthakul nominated Somsak for the post and no one was nominated to contest for the position so Somsak was automatically given the post.

Chart Pattana Pua Pandin MP Wannarat Charnnukul nominated Charoen Chankomol, a Pheu Thai MP from Chaiyaphum, as the first deputy House speaker. He was given the post with no one contending for it.

Wsiut Chainaroon, a Phayao MP of the Pheu Thai, was nominated and won the position of the second deputy House speaker.

The meeting was closed at 9:55 am.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02

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House picks Somsak as speaker

By The Nation

The 24th House of Representatives on Tuesday convened its first session to name Pheu Thai MP Somsak Kiatsuranont as the new speaker.

Bhum Jai Thai MP Chai Chidchob, the senior-most lawmaker, chaired the session.

The ruling Pheu Thai Party put forward the nominations of Somsak and his two deputies from Pheu Thai, Charoen Chankomol and Visuth Chainaroon.

The House endorsed the uncontested nominations and Chai instructed the House Secretariat to submit the three names for a royal command on appointments.

The session adjourned after a brief half-hour proceedings.

Born in 1954, Somsak is a nine-time MP from Khon Kaen. He is seen as an close ally of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Known as "Mr Gavel", he rose to prominence since 1997 when he was elected the deputy House speaker under the New Aspiration Party quota. He introduced the gavel as a tool to intervene and end bickering during House session.

He used to serve in Culture and Justice portfolios under the Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat governments respectively.

Charoen Chaikomol has been re-elected six times to his House seat from Chaiyaphum. Born in 1960, he started his political career almost two decades ago under the Chart Thai Party banner. He switched his allegiance to New Aspiration Party which later merged with Thai Rak Thai Party.

Visuth Chainaroon, born in 1958, is a veteran politician from Phayao. He gained popularity after introducing the cultivation of para rubber in his northern hometown.

He stepped into the limelight in 2009 when he joined the red-shirt rally. He vowed to declare an independent state if the red shirts were suppressed.

-- The Nation 2011-08-02