Government Whip Along With Committee Chairs Clarify “Sophon” Didn’t Seize Power or Threaten Opposition, Insisting 4 Guidelines Strictly Follow House Rules

Today (4 November 2026) at 3:00 PM at Parliament, Mr. Korrawee Prissananantakul, Ang Thong MP from the Bhumjaithai Party and Chairman of the Government Whip, alongside chairpersons of the standing committees from both Bhumjaithai and Pheu Thai parties, held a joint press conference to clarify the facts regarding the investigative duties of each committee. This followed a meeting called by House Speaker Sophon Saram, who invited the chairs of all 35 committees to discuss guidelines for the legislative branch’s oversight function.

Mr. Korrawee stated that the meeting referenced Section 129 of the Constitution and Rule 90 of the House of Representatives Rules of Procedure. He reaffirmed that the performance of duties by all 35 committees under the written guidelines issued by the House Speaker does not block the work of any chairperson or committee member, nor does it strip or usurp the legislature’s oversight powers. The four guidelines outlined by the Speaker cover: 1. scope of committee duties, 2. scheduling of meetings, 3. setting meeting agendas, and 4. summoning individuals or documents. All four points align with existing rules, as the Speaker lacks the authority to alter regulations, but rather provided these guidelines to ensure clear execution in accordance with the Constitution and House rules. He added that no committee or MP can exercise power beyond what the law stipulates.

Meanwhile, Mr. Watcharapong Kuwichitsuwan, Saraburi MP from the Bhumjaithai Party and Chairman of the House Committee on Police Affairs, further addressed claims by some committee chairs that Mr. Sophon was stripping their powers, calling it a miscommunication. He noted that most committee chairs operate within the framework of the 2012/2019 rules, which clearly define their scope of authority. Any committee action or decision requires a majority vote; chairpersons cannot act on emotion, ego, or unilaterally place items on the agenda and summon individuals at will. If all committees adhere strictly to the rules, operations will proceed smoothly.

Concurrently, Mr. Suphachai Jaismut, Party-list MP from the Bhumjaithai Party, disclosed that recent meetings of the House Committee on Law, Justice, and Human Rights were chaotic and disorganized because the committee chair acted contrary to House rules and the Constitution—accepting matters outside the committee’s authority and setting agendas without seeking meeting resolutions. As a result, he petitioned the House Speaker to establish clear operational guidelines and submitted a complaint to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to investigate these serious violations of rules, the Constitution, and ethical standards. He reiterated that the Speaker’s guidelines contain nothing beyond existing laws and do not disrupt operations, adding a question to the opposition: if they consider following rules and the Constitution as harassment, does that mean they do not wish to abide by the law?

Photo : Weeraphat Ratsameerueangrong