Senators believed to have political affiliations with the Bhumjaithai Party were chosen as the Senate Speaker and two deputies on Tuesday.
Former Buri Ram governor Mongkol Surasajja comfortably won the vote to become speaker over two other contenders. He received 159 votes against 19 for media academic Nantana Nantavaropas and 13 for former veteran politician Premsak Piayura. Four senators abstained and five ballots were invalid.
Mr Mongkol, 71, has had a long career in public life dating back to his days as a participant in the 1973 political uprising against dictatorship. He is seen to have close ties with the Bhumjaithai Party, whose political base is in Buri Ram. Bhumjaithai is the second-largest party in the governing coalition.
Two other senators believed to have ties with Bhumjaithai were also chosen as deputy speakers in the 200-member Upper House. Gen Kriangkrai Srirak, a former 4th Army chief and former adviser to Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai leader, received 150 votes. Boonsong Noisophon, a former judge and election commissioner, got 167 votes.
Even though the new indirectly elected senators are not supposed to be affiliated with political parties, candidates linked in various ways to Bhumjaithai did very well in the recent election.
The so-called “blue” bloc, a reference to Bhumjaithai, is said to be the largest by far of three factions in the new Upper House, which convened for the first time on Tuesday.
The secretary-general of the Senate will officially report the voting results in writing to Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, who will present them to His Majesty the King for royal endorsement.
Wanwichit Boonprong, a political science lecturer at Rangsit University, told the Bangkok Post that the upper house will now be dominated by senators who have ties with Bhumjaithai.
“From now on, Mr Anutin’s political clout will increase. He has been part of the previous and present government over the past five years,” Mr Wanwichit said. “The voting results of the Senate election showed many politicians are affiliated with the blue faction.”
He said the next move by Bhumjaithai is expected to be to persuade politicians from major political clans — from both the Pheu Thai and Palang Pracharath parties — to defect to Bhumjaithai.
Unlike their military-appointed predecessors, the new senators will not be empowered to co-elect a new prime minister.
However, they still have the authority to appoint members of powerful independent organisations that have had a major influence on political developments, particularly the National Anti-Corruption Commission and the Election Commission, Mr Wanwichit said.
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Media academic and senator Nantana Nantavaropas, a contender for the Senate speaker’s post, outlines her vision prior to the vote at parliament on Tuesday. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)