People’s Party mulls action against MP for backing Anutin

The opposition People’s party will investigate and may take disciplinary action against Suriya Wong-aree, its renegade MP for Udon Thani’s Constituency 7, for defying the party whip by voting for Anutin Charnvirakul as prime minister in the House election today.

Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People’s party, told a news conference at the end of the House meeting to elect the new prime minister, that he would like to know the motive behind Suriya’s defiance.

He also said that he believes that “someone” harbours ill will towards the party, but the party remains unshaken.

Suriya was the first MP from the People’s party to report to parliament on March 2nd, while the rest of the party’s MP did so as a group a week later.

During the House meeting today, Natthaphong took to the floor to address his fellow MPs, saying that the People’s party has no intention of forming a government in competition with the Bhumjaithai party because, traditionally, the party which won the most seats in the House has the first claim on forming a government.

He said he would like to take this opportunity to remind the prime minister of the crises confronted by the country, be it the conflict in the Middle East, security issues or the corruption in government bureaucracy, and the need for the government to have legitimacy and the courage to face the challenges head-on.

Natthaphong said he would like to convey to the prime minister, through House Speaker Sophon Zaram, that his party wants to see the prime minister perform his duty in the public interest.

No matter which side they are allied with, he said both the government and the opposition can be useful to the country.

Before concluding his speech, he said he does not know whether this would be his last chance to speak in parliament.

The Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders is expected to deliver its ruling on the fate of 44 former MPs of the now defunct Move Forward party, more than 30 of whom are now People’s party MPs, including Natthaphong.

The case is about alleged gross ethical misconduct for supporting a bill to amend the lèse majesté law.

A guilty ruling by the court means that the MPs who supported the bill would be stripped of their parliamentary status and banished from politics for up to 10 years.

This would not, however, affect the party because most of them are party-list MPs, who will automatically be replaced by others in the party list.