House Speaker Wan Muhamad Noor Matha said on Thursday he had not received a petition calling for an investigation into Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) leader Gen Prawit Wongsuwon's frequent absence from parliament meetings.
He said once the petition is received, it will be processed according to parliamentary procedures.
He said that as it involves the ethical conduct of MPs, it will be forwarded to the House committee on ethics, which comprises himself, the opposition leader, representatives from all political parties, and former MPs.
Mr Wan was responding to questions about the petition that former Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said he was submitting to seek a review of Gen Prawit's attendance records.
Mr Prompong claimed that Gen Prawit was rarely seen at House meetings, raising questions if the PPRP leader, as a list MP of the party, has fulfilled his constitutional and ethical responsibilities as an MP.
According to the House Speaker, the ethics committee will consider the matter in accordance with the House regulations to determine if Gen Prawit had, in fact, committed an ethical violation.
When asked if Gen Prawit had formally submitted a request for leave before his absences, Mr Wan said he didn't know for sure as the matter is typically handled directly by the House secretariat.
While MPs do not need his approval to take leave, they can lose their parliamentarian status if they consistently fail to attend House meetings without a valid reason.
Some MPs have not been able to attend any meetings in the entire session due to ill health, but they made sure to show up for crucial votes, he said.
"[MPs'] reasons are taken into account when considering matters like this," he said.