Parliament Erupts! Opposition MPs Protest Over Blocked Discussion; Sopone Defends Himself, Insists He Did Nothing Wrong
Opposition MPs clashed with Speaker Sopone Sarunmi on May 6 after he blocked an unscheduled parliamentary discussion, with members arguing he violated prior agreements while the speaker insisted his procedural controls were justified.
At 10:30 AM on May 6, 2025 at Parliament, the House of Representatives held its session with Speaker Sopone Sarunmi presiding. Before entering the agenda, chaos erupted when Bangkok MP Pongsaranath Thongli from the People's Party attempted to raise a discussion about parliamentary procedures. However, Speaker Sopone refused to allow him to speak, explaining that discussion topics must be submitted in writing and follow established protocols agreed upon in the bipartisan committee. When Pongsaranath tried to reframe his request as an urgent matter, the speaker again refused, saying the agenda was still incomplete and his issue could wait.
This prompted People's Party list MP Parnwut Udomphipat to suggest the speaker proceed with the agenda first, then address the discussion afterward. Speaker Sopone clarified that parliamentary control requires strict adherence to agenda and agreements. He stated that he cannot allow unscheduled discussions simply because someone raises their hand, as this disrupts the meeting's flow, though he does permit discussions on important matters.
Parnwut countered that they were discussing genuine public grievances and parliamentary matters that members have the right to address. He noted that when both party caucuses previously agreed on something, the speaker has failed to implement it, forcing members to raise the issue. He criticized the speaker for shutting down debate without even hearing what members wanted to say, comparing it to muting the microphone before understanding the concern.
Speaker Sopone shot back, telling Parnwut to sit down and accused him of "just talking for talking's sake." This prompted Parnwut to protest that the comment was dismissive. Sopone denied being sarcastic and demanded his own opportunity to respond, noting that Parnwut was present during the bipartisan committee meeting. He explained his refusal was based on the fact that members were mixing oral and written discussions inappropriately.
"As a speaker controlling the meeting to maintain proper order as I see fit, what I have done today is not wrong," Sopone stated. "I have not blocked members and have opened opportunities for discussion, but you have overstepped. People watching at home will misunderstand me." Parnwut remained unconvinced, asking the speaker to review the video clip of what was said to Pongsaranath beforehand, noting he was actually trying to find a solution. He maintained that being told he "just talks" was clearly sarcastic, and as an MP, he has the right to protest. He felt the comment was disproportionately harsh and asked the speaker to reconsider, though he would not demand an apology but simply wanted to reaffirm his position.
