A motion, seconded by 99 opposition and government MPs, was today submitted to House Speaker Chuan Leekpai to seek amendment of Section 272 of Thailand’s Constitution, with the aim of excluding senators from the election of the Prime Minister.
Kao Klai leader Pita Limcharoenrat and Sathit Wongnongtoey of the Democrat Party submitted the motion to Speaker Chuan on behalf of the 99 MPs.
The Speaker later said that he expects the group’s motion to be debated in parallel with another motion from the opposition Pheu Thai Party, scheduled on September 23rd and 24th.
Pita said that the 13 parties which support the motion do not include the Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharat parties and he is confident that the senators will not oppose it, as all parties agree that amending Section 272 is a potential way out of Thailand’s political dilemma.
Sathit, meanwhile, said the 16 rebel Democrat MPs have the right to support Kao Klai’s motion, although the majority of the party’s MPs have opted to support the Palang Pracharat Party’s motion instead.
Informed Democrat party sources said that, originally 19 Democrat MPs had signed up to second Kao Klai’s motion, but three of them, namely Wiwat Nilwatchamanee, Somchart Praditthaporn and Panu Sribusayakarn, all MPs of Surat Thani province, later pulled out for unknown reasons.
Besides the 16 Democrat MPs, one Bhumjaithai MP, Siripong Angkhasakulkiat and one Chart Thai Pattana MP, Chulaphan Nonsrichai also joined the Kao Klai’s move.
The Democrat, Bhumjaithai and Chart Thai Pattana parties are in the coalition government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Several of the smallest parties, which have one MP each, also support the Kao Klai move to amend Section 272.
They are Damrong Pidet of Rak Puen Pa Prathet Thai, Mongkolkit Sooksintharanon of Thai Civilized Party, Pirawit Luangluedolapark of Thai Rak Tham, Prachatham Thai MP Pichet Sathirachawan and Surathin Pijarn of the Prachatippatai Mai Party.
