Move Forward calls on Prayut to not block 9 new bills it has proposed

Move Forward party-list MP Parit Wacharasindhu submitted the nine bills on his party’s behalf to House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha on Wednesday. The bills were received by the speaker’s secretary Muk Sulaiman.

Speaking to reporters later, Parit said the bills were divided into three groups, namely:

• Decentralising administrative power: Bill on plans and procedures for handing power to local administration; a bill to amend the Land Transport Act, a bill to amend the Roads Act; and a bill to amend the Assets Expropriation Act.

• Preventing Corruption: Bill to amend the Free Government Information Act to require that government agencies make information more transparent; and a bill to make it easier for businesses to seek licences to prevent corruption.

• Equality and rights: Bill to amend civil code to provide equal marital rights to members of the LGBTQI+ community; bill to endorse sexual diversity; and bill to protect the rights of ethnic minorities.

Parit said Move Forward had previously proposed seven bills to the House, but two had been held back as they require funding and must first be endorsed by the Cabinet. The two bills seek the abolishment of the Internal Security Operations Command and mandatory military conscription.

Parit said he hopes caretaker PM General Prayut Chan-o-cha will not block these two bills and called on the caretaker Cabinet to approve these and the nine bills submitted on Wednesday even if they require funding.

He said that if the caretaker Cabinet is worried that these bills would burden the new government, it should allow the MPs to make a decision on the bills as they will be part of the new government.

While campaigning for votes, Move Forward had promised to push for the enactment of many bills to introduce sweeping changes in Thailand.

After winning the election by sweeping up 151 MP seats, Move Forward tried unsuccessfully to win the post of House speaker, which it believed would help it push for sweeping legal changes.

Move Forward eventually agreed to give the speaker’s post to Prachachart Party in a compromise to get its coalition going. But after its leader Pita Limjaroenrat’s bid for the PM’s seat was blocked by senators, the second-largest winner Pheu Thai jettisoned Move Foard for a chance to form a coalition that will not flop.