Thailand's House Speaker has issued new committee rules for the 35 standing panels in parliament. The measures require collective approval before investigations begin, a move that follows a dispute over a gambling inquiry.
Procedural Changes in the House
House Speaker Sophon Zarum has implemented guidelines governing Thailand’s 35 standing parliamentary committees. Under these rules, committee chairmen can no longer independently launch substantive investigations or summon witnesses. Instead, they must first secure a resolution from the full committee. The Speaker also gained the authority to intervene when investigations overlap between different panels, allowing him to suspend proceedings to resolve jurisdictional conflicts.
Response to Political Criticism
Mr. Zarum denied that the measures are designed to strip chairmen of their authority or silence the opposition. He stated that the regulations aim to prevent overlapping investigations and ensure compliance with existing parliamentary rules. Critics, however, argue that the new requirements for committee resolutions could allow the government majority to block inquiries into administration-related issues. The opposition has expressed concern that the changes undermine the flexibility of parliamentary oversight.
Background of the Dispute
The new rules emerged after a bitter confrontation over an online gambling inquiry. The investigation, led by opposition MP Rangsiman Rome, examined financial interests linked to a Bhumjaithai Party MP and her husband. The dispute intensified when government-aligned MPs challenged the chairman’s authority to proceed without formal committee approval, leading to a walkout by several members. The Speaker’s intervention seeks to standardize procedures and prevent similar procedural clashes in the future.
