The Move Forward party has postponed a meeting, scheduled for today (Wednesday), for negotiating teams to discuss the House speakership with the Pheu Thai party.

Pukkamon Noonanant, deputy spokeswoman for the Move Forward party, said in a Line message to reporters late Tuesday night that the party has decided to postpone the meeting and will notify the media once it has been rescheduled.

No reason was given for the meeting’s sudden cancellation, but it is believed to stem from the Pheu Thai party’s decision yesterday that it wants the House speakership and 14 cabinet seats, as part of the power sharing formula in the new administration.

An informed Move Forward party source said, meanwhile, that their executive committee has agreed to nominate Padipat Suntiphada, an executive committee member and constituency MP for Phitsanuloke, as House speaker.

The Move Forward party’s Facebook page posted an image of Padipat and his vision for the Thai parliament, which emphasises “Transparency, Efficiency and People”.

In the Facebook post, Padipat said that he will try to transform the Thai parliament into the most advanced in Asia, as regards the issuance of legislation, organisational culture and independence from the executive branch, to serve the public interest.

For transparency, Padipat said that he will initiate an information system which is open and accessible by members of the public, giving them access to parliamentary debates, meetings and resolutions adopted.

The new MP also said that the people will have access to parliamentary services and will be able to communicate with all MPs online.