BANGKOK – Wednesday’s scheduled meeting between the Move Forward Party (MFP) and Pheu Thai party to discuss who will get the House Speaker position has been indefinitely postponed following Pheu Thai’s announcement that it was determined to take the post.

The top two parties in the House with the most seats had previously picked Wednesday to decide on the House Speaker issue.

However, MFP deputy spokesman Pukkamon Nunarnan told reporters on Tuesday night that the meeting between the leaders of the two parties would be postponed.

The announcement came just hours after the Pheu Thai on Tuesday insisted that its “14+1” formula, which denotes the party’s desire to appoint one House Speaker and 14 ministry positions, be adhered to.

Mr Suchart Tancharoen, a former member of the Palang Pracharath Party, and Dr Chonlanan Srikaew, its leader, were considered two probable candidates for the Speaker position of Pheu Thai.

MFP intends to place second-term MP Padipat Suntiphada as the next House Speaker.

MFP won the May 14 election in a surprise victory, with the popular Pheu Thai – which is linked to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra who now lives in self-imposed exile – finishing second in place.

MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat agreed to the formation of an eight-party coalition that includes Pheu Thai in order to form the next government.

A meeting of the coalition’s leaders originally scheduled for Thursday has been postponed to Sunday.

The House Speaker is likely to be elected on next Tuesday – a day after the opening ceremony of Parliament. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK