The Move Forward Party will hold a general assembly on Sept 23 to elect a new executive committee following the resignation of Pita Limjaroenrat as the party leader.
Mr Pita’s resignation on Friday has left all executive committee members, including the party leader, in caretaking positions.
Mr Pita, after consulting with the executive committee, decided to resign to make way for the party to elect a new leader, who could then take up the post of opposition leader, said Chaithawat Tulathon, the caretaker party secretary-general.
The general assembly on Sept 23 will be held at the Thai Summit building, the party headquarters, in Huai Khwang district of Bangkok. About 500 representatives of party branches from across the country are expected to attend the meeting to elect the new leader and new executive committee.
Once Move Forward is formally confirmed as the lead opposition party in the House of Representatives, parliamentary rules would prohibit Padipat Suntiphada, a party MP from Phitsanulok, from continuing as a deputy speaker. The speaker and deputies must all come from the government side of the House.
Asked about the status of Mr Padipat, Mr Chaithawat said the new executive committee would talk to the MP before deciding on the matter.
Mr Padipat had said earlier that he was willing to resign as deputy speaker if his party chooses to lead the opposition.
Mr Chaithawat said Move Forward is now of the opinion that, in order to effectively perform parliamentary work, it should fully assume the role of the opposition and its leader should be the opposition leader.
Mr Pita expressed the same view in announcing his resignation, saying the uncertainty about his status as an MP should not prevent the party from stepping forward and doing its job on behalf of the public.
Mr Pita was suspended as an MP on July 19 pending a ruling by the Constitutional Court on whether he applied to run for office while knowing he might be ineligible because he led shares in a media company, specifically the defunct broadcaster iTV.
Asked whether Mr Pita could return as party leader if the court ruled in his favour and he could resume his duties as an MP, Mr Chaithawat said that would be for the new executive committee to decide.