BANGKOK, June 4 (TNA) — Prachachat party leader Wan Muhamad Noor Matha was elected as the new House speaker on Tuesday morning as he was only one nomination for the post.
The leader of the Move Forward Party Pita Limjaroenrat nominated Mr Wan Nor, 79, when the newly-elected MPs convened for the first time and the first item on the agenda is to elect the new House speaker.
The veteran politician was therefore declared elected under parliamentary regulations as his candidacy was uncontested.
Beore the declaration, Mr Wan Nor addressed the meeting, outlining his vision for the job as required by parliamentary regulations.
Interim House Speaker Virote Pao-in skipped the planned secret vote for House speaker and officially announced Mr Wan Nor was the new House speaker.
Mr Wan Noor has earlier served as House speaker and used to be deputy interior minister, transport minister and agriculture minister in provious governments.
The Move Forward and Pheu Thai parties, two main coalition allies, have agreed to nominate Mr Wan Noor as the sole candidate for the House speakership, ending weeks of political wrangling over the position.
Later, Move Forward MP Padipat Santithada elected as the first Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives while Pheu Thai MP Pichet Chuamuangphan was elected as the second Deputy speaker.
Wan’s election, which is yet to be endorsed by His Majesty the King, will pave the way for the House speaker, in his capacity as the president of the parliament, to call a joint session of the House and Senate to elect a new prime minister. (TNA)
