Sophon Sarum responded to rumors about becoming Speaker of the House, revealing he has not been contacted and saying the position is not an obstacle; wherever he is, he must do his best.
At 09:30 on 17 Feb 2026 GMT+7, Mr. Sophon Sarum, Deputy Prime Minister and a key leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, gave an interview regarding rumors of being appointed as Speaker of the House of Representatives. He said, "The rumors are just rumors; no approach has been made. Looking at the overall government formation this time, all parties must wait for the Election Commission (EC) to certify the election results. We have seen the issues in this election, so the EC has not yet certified. We hope this will be resolved soon." "The rumors that it will happen soon—once the EC certifies, then we can discuss positions." "That should be the process. It is an evolution of the election system. Previously, after elections, people would just celebrate immediately, but this time it follows the rules."
When asked if he was ready if assigned the role, Mr. Sophon replied, "I am not someone who takes things lightly. I have served in various positions. When I was an MP in the last House, I did not aim to be Deputy Prime Minister but focused on drug policy reform. Wherever I am, I will do my best." When further asked if he is familiar with parliamentary meeting rules, he said, "They are already written in the book."
Regarding whether he is confident in managing parliamentary sessions, Mr. Sophon said, "I’m not yet the Speaker. Let me become it first." Regarding whether the first and second Deputy Speaker positions must go to Bhumjaithai Party members, Mr. Sophon revealed, "I can’t even answer about the Speaker position yet; how could I answer about the Deputy Speaker positions?"
When asked whether he prefers executive or legislative work, Mr. Sophon said, "I have no preference. I affirm that wherever I am, I will do my best. Position is not an obstacle to doing good. We must do our best to be beneficial and earn praise. Whether people praise or criticize depends on our actions. Doing well earns praise; doing poorly invites criticism—that is normal. I recite the Eight Worldly Dharmas daily. As Deputy Prime Minister, I must remember that one day I will leave; I am not the owner."