Key leaders of the Move Forward and Pheu Thai parties have played down news reports that they have reached a compromise on the issue of the House speakership.

They insist that the two parties are still in talks to settle their differences, which threaten their ongoing attempts to form a post-election coalition with six smaller parties.

Chaithawat Tulathon, secretary general of Move Forward, dismissed as pure speculation reports that Pheu Thai had conceded the House speakership to Move Forward on the condition that, if Move Forward leader Pita Limjaroenrat fails to clinch the premiership, they would take over the role of forming the coalition.

Move Forward is currently in the process of cobbling together a coalition, with its leader Pita as prime minister, but Pita faces the possibility of being rejected by the Senate, which will join the House of Representatives in electing the next prime minister.

Pheu Thai has always insisted that it will honour its pledge to support Pita as prime minister, but has been locked in a struggle with Move Forward over the House speakership, amid rumours that it is negotiating a backdoor deal with political parties in the outgoing administration.

Several Thai media outlets have reported that Pheu Thai agreed to concede the House speakership to Move Forward on Thursday – only days before the election of the speaker next Tuesday.

Pheu Thai leader Cholnan Srikaew, however, denied that his party has offered such deal. “I am surprised by these reports. I think they must have been spun by someone,” he said.

He said Pheu Thai is still in the process of discussing the issue, which will need to be finalised by its leadership at a meeting on Monday.

“We don’t have any alternative plan. Our only plan is to support Pita to be prime minister,” he said.