Sophon elected House Speaker after secret ballot in first sitting
Bhumjaithai’s Sophon Saram defeated People’s Party rival Parit Wacharasindhu 289-123 in the House Speaker vote after MPs debated how ballots should be marked.
Sophon Saram of the Bhumjaithai Party was elected House Speaker on Sunday after defeating People’s Party candidate Parit Wacharasindhu in a secret ballot at the first sitting of Thailand’s newly elected House of Representatives. Sophon secured 289 votes, while Parit received 123. The ballot also recorded 80 abstentions and three spoiled ballots.
Thailand’s newly elected House of Representatives convened its first sitting on Sunday, with MPs first taking their oath before moving to the election of the Speaker. Pairoj Lohsunthorn, the most senior MP in the chamber, served as temporary presiding officer. Sophon was nominated by Prasert Jantararuangtong, while People’s Party MP Pakornwut Udompipatskul nominated fellow party-list MP Parit Wacharasindhu, forcing a secret ballot.
Debate flares over ballot procedure
Before voting began, MPs argued over whether members should write candidates’ names or numbers on the ballot paper, amid concern that spelling errors could lead to invalid votes. The chamber eventually agreed to switch to numbers to reduce confusion, assigning No 1 to Sophon and No 2 to Parit, with abstentions to be marked separately.
Two sharply different visions for parliament
In his speech, Sophon said parliament should draw on past experience while embracing modern tools, strengthen legislative scrutiny and move quickly to amend or scrap outdated laws. He said the House should focus less on rhetoric and more on producing practical results for the public.
Parit, meanwhile, framed the contest as a question of what kind of parliament Thailand should have over the next four years. He called for greater use of technology, more transparency over MPs’ work and voting records, tighter scrutiny of spending, and a stronger defence of public power against political interference. He also said the next Speaker should help ensure future elections are free, fair and transparent, while pushing ahead with an open and participatory constitution-drafting process.
Next step in government formation
The Speaker vote marked the first major parliamentary test following the opening of the new legislature and is widely seen as an important step towards the formation of the next government. Sophon’s victory also underscored the strength of the Bhumjaithai-led bloc as it moves to consolidate support in the House.
