Bhumjaithai Challenges Committee Chair Over Procedural Authority
The Bhumjaithai Party has escalated a conflict over House committee procedures, filing an ethics complaint against Law Committee Chair Rangsiman Rome for setting agendas and summoning witnesses without full committee approval. The dispute stems from a series of controversial investigations, including a gambling website probe and the summoning of a Move Forward MP over her husband's shares, which drew a direct call from the Prime Minister. Critics warn the government's parliamentary majority now effectively controls all committee work.
The dispute over House committee duties appears to be escalating significantly. The Bhumjaithai Party, led by legal expert Suphachai Jaisamut, has directly confronted Rangsiman Rome, chair of the House Committee on Law. The matter reached House Speaker Sowan Sarat via formal letter urging resolution of overlapping committee investigations and summonses of government agencies. This prompted a meeting of 35 committee chairs on October 21. While no definitive conclusions were reached on each committee's responsibilities, there is a clear push to require committee resolutions for agenda-setting and summoning individuals, rather than leaving it to the committee chair's sole discretion.
Dissatisfaction has been building for some time — from the Huasawee case and AI Passport issue to the use of authority to summon Chayachanok Chidchob. Most recently, the pursuit of Move Forward MP Suchada Sangtapan, former secretary to the Digital Economy Minister, to explain her husband's gambling website shares raised enough concern that the Prime Minister directly called her to express worry. All of this pressure has landed in the laps of those in power, forcing some action. Most recently, Suphachai announced he will file a complaint with the Ethics Committee against Rangsiman Rome for serious ethical violations regarding agenda-setting and summoning individuals without committee approval. Part of this stems from the investigation into the Shuffle.com gambling website, which involved summoning Sirichok Sopa.
Critics argue that oversight of MPs and the government has become so obstructed that the committee majority is being used as a shield. Previously, committee chair positions were allocated by party quota based on MP numbers — meaning the largest party gets the most chairs, though parties choose which committees to lead. Since committees draw from House MPs, the government already holds a majority in each. Requiring majority votes for decisions effectively hands control of committee work to the government. It is no wonder MP Ice Rakchanok Srinok questioned whether, with the government controlling the lower house, commanding a parliamentary majority, and influencing independent bodies, they now intend to swallow committee work whole. It remains to be seen how this consolidated power will affect the coalition government — whether it will float or sink.
