A group of Pheu Thai party MPs has formally asked House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha to seek a Constitutional Court ruling on the parliamentary status of Bhumjaithai party leader Anutin Charnvirakul, the current prime minister, and People’s party leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut.
Led by Chonlanan Srikaew, the Pheu Thai MPs are asking the court to strip the two party leaders of their parliamentary status for allegedly violating Section 101(3) and Section 185 (1) and (2) of the Constitution by their signing of an agreement, under which the People’s party agreed to support Anutin as a prime ministerial candidate if the Bhumjaithai party agreed to accept its five conditions.
The group alleges that the agreement has put the new minority government, led by the Bhumjaithai party, under the control of the People’s party, rendering the MPs of the Bhumjaithai party unable to perform their duties freely, which is allegedly a violation of Sections 28 and 29 of the Political Parties Act.
They also claim that the conditions imposed by the People’s party on Bhumjaithai constitute interference by the People’s party in the affairs of the other party for its own benefit.
Under the agreement, signed by the leaders of the two parties:
· Anutin is required to dissolve the House within four months of his delivery of the government’s policy statement to parliament.
· The government must organise a referendum to seek public consent for the writing of a new charter by an elected assembly.
· The government must not seek to recruit additional MPs to form a majority government.
· The People’s party will remain in opposition to maintain a check and balance on the government.
The Bhumjaithai-led coalition government commands a total of 146 MPs in the House, which is well short of half of the MPs (246).
