PUBLISHED : 1 Mar 2024 at 04:00
The main opposition Move Forward Party (MFP) has demanded that the ruling coalition partner Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) immediately vacate a room reportedly reserved for the opposition whip in parliament.
Opposition chief whip, Pakornwut Udompipatsakul, also an MFP MP, accused the PPRP of seizing the room located behind the parliament president’s chamber.
The room in question was partitioned into a private living space for PPRP leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, who, according to Mr Pakornwut, had not set foot in parliament since the government came to power.
On Feb 1, Mr Pakornwut complained during a parliament meeting that the opposition whip had no room to work in. He insisted the government and opposition whips had agreed the left-most room located in the wing behind the parliament president’s chamber would be the government whip’s office. It was also concluded that the right-most room in the wing would be reserved for the opposition whip.
However, the PPRP has occupied the right-most room and refused to leave when prompted.
According to Mr Pakornwut, he decided to confront the PPRP about the problem, only to be told by Pakphum Bulpramuk, a PPRP MP for Tak, that no rule exists which states the right-most room belongs to the opposition whip.
Mr Pakornwut then said there was no rule either that permitted the PPRP taking possession of the room.
Deputy House Speaker Padipat Santipada said yesterday he had instructed the parliament secretariat office to draft new regulations governing the use of rooms at the parliament building.
He said the regulations would do away with the ambiguity there might be in accessing rooms. Technically, there are no labels put up that restrict access to the rooms where all parliamentarians can request permission to hold meetings.