Bangkok: Natthaphong urged Bhumtham to clarify whether the House dissolution was still ongoing. He expressed displeasure over the lawsuit filed against him by Supachai and Suratin over the dissolution, urging him to withdraw the petition. He reiterated his support for Anutin as Prime Minister and continued to proceed with elections as per the House’s agenda, requesting the use of the 140-plus votes in Parliament to direct the country’s direction.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Natthaphong Ruangpanyawut, leader of the Prachachon Party, addressed the House Speaker’s announcement that the agenda for selecting the Prime Minister has been finalized. However, there are rumors that the government is preparing to submit additional opinions to the Privy Council Office to confirm that the acting Prime Minister has the authority to request a royal resolution to dissolve Parliament. The Prachachon Party maintains that the acting Prime Minister has the authority to dissolve Parliament, but they have no authority to interpret the matter. The authority to interpret lies with the relevant agencies, including Mr. Phumtham Wechayachai, acting Prime Minister. Therefore, the situation is currently unclear.
Mr. Natthaphong continued, stating that what is clear is that the agenda for selecting the prime minister is moving forward. However, what is unclear is whether the Pheu Thai Party or Mr. Bhumtham will proceed with the dissolution of Parliament. Therefore, to avoid any legal concerns or conflicts regarding the future course of action, one thing he would like to request from Mr. Bhumtham and the government is to ensure clarity so that we can proceed in the most correct manner. He wants clarity on whether the government will proceed with the dissolution of Parliament. If the process for voting for the prime minister or dissolving Parliament remains unclear, he believes that the agenda should proceed according to the agenda items included in the meeting agenda.
Mr. Natthaphong added that yesterday charges were brought under Section 112 against Mr. Suratin Picharn, a member of the New Democrat Party, and charges were brought under Section 157 of the Criminal Code against Mr. Supachai Jaisamut. He and the People’s Party disagree with the use of legal tools in these cases. Therefore, what he wants to demand is that both parties withdraw their charges in the cases to create an atmosphere where we can find a solution for the country. He opposes the use of the law as a tool for harassment or legal warfare, regardless of which side they are on.
“Pheu Thai’s actions may be self-contradictory. While the party was preparing to nominate a prime ministerial candidate, news broke that it was dissolving parliament. Therefore, we are calling for clarification from Mr. Bhumtham regarding whether or not the dissolution process has been concluded,” said Mr. Natthaphong.
A reporter asked whether the Pheu Thai Party’s proposal of Mr. Chaikasem Nitisiri to compete for Prime Minister and Mr. Anutin would likely end the issue of dissolving Parliament. Mr. Natthaphong stated that the Pheu Thai Party’s actions were contradictory, as they were preparing to nominate a prime ministerial candidate, but there were rumors that they were submitting a proposal to dissolve Parliament. He requested clarification from Mr. Bhumtham regarding whether the dissolution process had been concluded.
When asked what signals he had received, Mr. Natthaphong stated that he had heard that additional opinions were being prepared to be submitted to the Privy Council Office. He wanted to know for sure whether the matter was now closed and whether he was ready to proceed with the prime ministerial vote.
When asked whether the dissolution process will change the People’s Party’s decision to support Mr. Anutin, Mr. Natthaphong confirmed that the party’s resolution, which has been thoroughly considered and reviewed, will not be changed. He stated that the party has considered and thoroughly considered the matter. However, the current situation presents a situation where we believe the acting prime minister can dissolve parliament, but the government is inconsistent and unclear. Therefore, we want to clarify this first. However, if the government remains in limbo, we see fit to proceed as the Speaker of the House has used his discretion to include the agenda for tomorrow’s prime ministerial vote.
Regarding the Section 157 lawsuit, Mr. Natthaphong stated that he personally hasn’t discussed it, but that members may have discussed it with each other. He said he doesn’t know who has discussed it with whom. As party leader, stating his position on this matter publicly is the most correct thing to do, and we disagree. He urges those who filed the complaint to withdraw their complaints.
When asked about criticism that this was a smothering lawsuit, and that the opposition was the Prachachon Party’s own foreign affairs advisor, who viewed the Bhumjaithai Party as abusing its power, Mr. Natthaphong stated that he would like to reaffirm his principles, saying that he has always stated that he does not agree with legal warfare. He added that what the public does not want to see now is someone coming to power using every possible means, using their power to destroy or harm the opposition.
“If something like this were to happen, whether it’s from the Bhumjaithai Party or anyone else, we wouldn’t approve of such actions. Therefore, this is a signal to say that we don’t agree with suing Mr. Phumtham like that,” said Mr. Natthaphong.
When asked if this meant the Bhumjaithai Party was breaking the agreement, Mr. Natthaphong stated that it was not in the written agreement. However, in future actions, we will use our parliamentary votes to direct the country in the direction we believe is right and proper, using a minority government and our majority opposition to direct the direction.
Reporters then asked whether we were scaffolding. Mr. Natthaphong replied that whether we would join the scaffolding or not depends on our expression and the use of our voices in parliament to control the minority government.
Reporters then asked whether he would only control votes within the House, as political dimensions exist both inside and outside the House. Mr. Natthaphong stated that outside the House, we cannot prevent those who file lawsuits. He said he does not have the authority to regulate individual MPs from other parties. However, if action is taken, he believes that the 140-plus votes we have will be the power within the House to direct the various political party operations.
When asked if the People’s Party’s statement yesterday that it could control the Bhumjaithai Party through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOA) clearly signaled that it could no longer control the Bhumjaithai Party, Mr. Natthaphong reiterated that this MOA is not a coalition government. He emphasized that he has no authority to prohibit them from doing anything in advance. He added that forming a government or taking any other action is their right. However, whenever we see the government acting inappropriately or contrary to our principles, we are prepared to use our parliamentary votes to direct the government in the right direction.
As for whether there will be a formal discussion with Mr. Anutin, Mr. Natthaphong stated that this press conference will be a formal discussion. He believes that all parties in the Bhumjaithai Party who have joined forces with the Bhumjaithai Party have already seen the signal he has sent.
When asked how he assessed the popularity of the People’s Party, Mr. Natthaphong stated that he must accept the facts. “In the short term, some voters or party supporters may feel uneasy. We understand this and believe that the party’s executives listened to all sides before reaching a resolution.” He confirmed that all members of the People’s Party agree on this decision. Therefore, any future actions that will increase the party’s popularity or ensure that party supporters understand what we are doing are our responsibility. He believes that if the People’s Party can steer the party in accordance with the agreement within the next four months, everyone will understand.
When asked if he had assessed that this scenario would make it easier for outside forces to intervene, Mr. Natthaphong said anything could happen, but he had thoroughly assessed the situation and was not afraid of anything. He added that he was ready to use his voice to prevent such an incident from occurring.
Regarding Mr. Chuwit Kamolwisit’s claim that this was the most complete deception since the advent of politics, Mr. Natthaphong stated that it was undeniable whether he would be deceived or not, but he insisted that he had thoroughly assessed the situation and that it was a proposal he had made two months ago. Throughout the past two months, he stated that this decision was the best solution, the best choice for the country, not the People’s Party.
When asked if the Bhumjaithai Party would partner with the Prachachon Party in the next election, Mr. Natthaphong stated that he hadn’t considered who he would partner with. The most important thing right now is to dissolve Parliament and open the door to amending the new constitution. After that, the campaign will focus on securing as many seats as possible in Parliament.
The reporter then asked again whether there was a possibility that he would not win a majority and then join the Bhumjaithai Party. Mr. Natthaphong replied that he was ready to enter the election, and his goal was to win a majority in parliament.
“We need to listen to feedback and understand all sides. However, I reiterate that what the People’s Party must strive to do is use the power we have received from the people, using our authority