Royal opening of parliament set for March 14 ahead of Speaker election

The path to the royal ceremony opening the first ordinary annual session

An important step in Thai politics will begin when the Secretariat of the House of Representatives confirms its readiness to organise the royal ceremony to open parliament on March 14, 2026 at 5pm in the ceremonial hall on the 11th floor of the parliament building, in accordance with the Constitution, which provides that the King shall come to perform the ceremony in person or graciously appoint a royal representative to do so. This is regarded as the formal starting point of the new legislative mechanism.

This important event follows the Royal Decree summoning parliament in 2026, within the 15-day timeframe from the announcement of the election results. Important figures will attend in full, including members of the House of Representatives, senators, the Cabinet, diplomats and the heads of independent organisations, to witness the opening of the first ordinary annual session amid close public attention on the direction of politics from this point onwards.

The first mission of MPs: taking the oath and electing the head of the legislature

After the royal ceremony is completed, on March 15, 2026 at 9am, the House of Representatives will have an important first meeting. It will begin with all MPs taking the oath before the chamber that they will perform their duties honestly for the benefit of the country and the people, before proceeding to the election of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Deputy Speaker(s), positions considered highly important in controlling the direction of legislation.

“The House will consider and resolve how many deputy speakers there will be, as the Constitution provides that there may be one or two. The voting to elect individuals to those positions will be conducted by secret ballot,” a source from the Secretariat of the House of Representatives said regarding the procedure. After a resolution is reached, formal royal appointment must be awaited before the new Speaker can set the date for the next meeting to vote for the prime minister.

Role and powers: the difference between the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker(s)

The position of Speaker of the House of Representatives does not involve only presiding over meetings. The Speaker also holds the position of President of the National Assembly ex officio and is responsible for countersigning the royal command appointing the prime minister, as well as the Leader of the Opposition. Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker(s) perform duties as assigned or act on behalf of the Speaker when the Speaker is unable to carry out duties. An important condition for both positions is that they must remain politically neutral and may not at that time hold office as executive members of a political party.

However, although their powers and duties differ, both the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker(s) may cast a vote in the chamber only when votes are tied, in order to give the casting vote. These positions will end when the term of the House ends, the House is dissolved, or the office-holder loses membership under legal conditions. The election of those office-holders on March 15 is therefore an indicator of the unity of the political bloc that will take responsibility for running the country.