House a 'Cobra Zone' where little will get done, say reporters as annual tradition returns

"Council of Conscripts", "Cobra Zone" and "Rusty Blade" are among the monikers reporters have given to Parliament and its members this year.

The annual tradition, which paused over the past five years after the military coup, resumed in earnest after the general election this year. Parliament reporters did their part on Saturday, after Government House journalists did the same for cabinet members last week.

The Government House reporters dubbed the current administration headed by Prayut Chan-o-cha the “Siang Kong Government”, a reference to the Chinatown neighbourhood where used car parts are sold. The name is associated with a dodgy background and spotty reliability.

Gen Prayut was dubbed “Angry Pot Calling the Kettle Black”, for denouncing the previous elected government after he staged the 2014 coup, only to repeat many of its populist policies in the five years since. Predictably, he didn’t find the joke funny, lashing out at reporters a day later.

The reporters covering Parliament, meanwhile, handed out nicknames and also voted on an “Event of the Year”, choosing the House collapse that happened on two days in a row on Nov 27 and 28.

The MPs were supposed to debate and vote on whether an extraordinary House committee should be set up to study the impacts of orders issued by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) under the Section 44 superpowers granted to Gen Prayut, who happens to be prime minister now.

On the first day, coalition MPs failed to show up in adequate numbers, resulting in the Opposition winning the vote to set up the panel.

However, the government MPs, citing a House regulation that allows for a recount if a vote is almost tied, sought a recount but the meeting lacked a quorum.

The meeting the next day, with 240 members out of 500, again lacked a quorum.

The House, the reporters said, was a “Cobra Zone”. Whether it was because of the new constitution or personal behaviours, the new ecosystem breeds “cobras” — MPs who have switched sides and are perceived as betraying their voters.

Some self-proclaimed “independent MPs” — who claimed to belong to neither side — dropped that stance later. Others voted against their whips’ and party’s stances multiple times.

The reporters believe such a scenario will continue so long as there is no absolute majority with a comfortable margin, in which case the public has little hope of seeing much getting done.

“Parliament can hardly be relied on [to help people] as intended by the constitution. It will be just a zone of cobras who turn against each other every chance they get." (Story continues below)

“Match of the Year”: Corruption committee adversaries Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves and Pareena Kraikupt

The Senate, meanwhile, was named the “Council of Conscripts” because its members were hand-picked to work in the first five years by the NCPO. More than half of them are serving or retired military or police officers and some are family or friends of senior junta figures.

The 250 senators not only carry out the normal duties associated with their positions but also ensure the continuation of the NCPO’s work, as evidenced in the unanimous vote to choose Gen Prayut as prime minister.

House Speaker Chuan Leekpai was given the nickname “Rusty Blade”. A former prime minister and veteran MP, Mr Chuan used to be known as the “honey-coated blade” for his way of criticising people — causing much pain and shame while being ever so polite.

But this year, reporters found he might have lost his edge. They felt he could have done better in controlling conflicts. They cited as examples his controversial ruling that a recount means a recast of votes and his failure to address conflicts in committees.

Senate Speaker Pornpetch Vichitchonchai was named “Rubber Gavel” since his power is significantly less than when he was president of the NCPO-appointed National Legislative Assembly. Parliamentarians, especially MPs, are not very considerate of him. He has been constantly challenged by MPs whenever he chairs joint meetings. He failed to control the situation when the prime minister had a fit of rage when provoked by Seri Ruam Thai (Thai Liberal) Party leader Sereepisuth Temeeyaves of the Opposition.

Opposition leader Sompong Amornvivat was compared to “Kanom Chine Without Namya” (rice noodles with no sauce) for his lack of punch in checking the government and his unimpressive role in the House.

For “Words of the Year”, the reporters chose Gen Prayut’s declaration in the chamber that he would “cut brotherly ties” with Pol Gen Sereepisuth, on Sept 25 when the latter kept badgering him about his incomplete oath of office and refused to discuss anything else because he viewed the PM was illegitimate.

Both were “brothers” as they studied at the military preparatory school together — with Pol Gen Seripisut being the more senior — before they chose their fields of service in the army and police respectively.

The “Match of the Year” went to Pareena Kraikupt, a Palang Pracharath MP for Ratchaburi, versus Gen Sereepisuth who are both on the House standing committee on corruption.

They sparred over whether Gen Prayut should be called to testify before the committee about his incomplete oath. Ms Pareena did everything she could to prevent that while the former police chief stood his ground. The conflict led to the resignations of some committee members and the exasperation of the others.

The “Rising Star” title was given to Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, secretary-general of the embattled Future Forward Party (FFP), primarily for being the first to bring up the incomplete oath issue. The reporters were also impressed with his performance during debates where he smoothly mixed rhetoric with substance, supported by academic knowledge.

The “Shooting Star” title went to Ms Pareena for her unwillingness to be investigated about her land holdings after she went after Somporn Juangroongruangkit, the mother of FFP leader Thanathorn, with a similar allegation when she was on the corruption committee.

The vocal and ever-quotable Ms Pareena has hardly been heard from in public over the past month, ever since evidence of land encroachment by her chicken farm hit the headlines.

For the “Good Person of Parliament” title, no one received the honour.