Anutin revealed plans to schedule meetings with coalition partners after the prime minister vote to discuss cabinet quotas. The submission of cabinet member lists will wait until the prime minister is fully appointed. He emphasized strict screening of cabinet qualifications with no controversies. He has not yet spoken with Thammanat but stressed that their friendship never expires.
On 15 Mar 2026 GMT+7, at the Parliament building, Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and leader of the Bhumjaithai Party, spoke about the timeline following the House of Representatives' election of its speaker and deputy speakers. He said that after these positions receive royal endorsement, the next step will be documentation submission. Once the speaker is officially appointed, a meeting will be convened, which he expects will not be delayed.
When asked about reports of a parliamentary session on 19 Mar to vote for prime minister, Anutin said he was unaware of such a schedule and that it could not be set yet because all positions, including speaker and deputies, must receive royal endorsement first.
Asked whether the cabinet list would be ready once the prime minister is fully appointed, Anutin said they would wait for that day first. He assured that they are managing all matters properly and according to procedures without delay.
Regarding when coalition partners will be informed about cabinet quotas, Anutin said they will likely hold discussions after the prime minister is chosen. There is still time since the prime minister must first receive royal endorsement. Afterwards, coalition parties will submit their proposed ministerial lists to the Secretariat of the Cabinet for qualification screening.
Asked if ministerial qualifications would be strictly scrutinized due to ethical concerns, Anutin said they follow guidelines set by the Constitutional Court and expect political parties to carefully vet their nominees. Bhumjaithai itself screens candidates, requiring approval from the party's executive committee for minister or speaker nominations. He said everyone must be cautious to honor coalition partners and maintain standards. If any problems arise, he can discuss with party leaders to consider adjustments. He hopes such issues do not occur, as all understand the need to propose candidates without problems. Before that, they will continue to work hard. When asked if the prime minister is confident the cabinet will satisfy the public and be controversy-free, he replied affirmatively. He acknowledged high public expectations since Bhumjaithai won many seats, making it impossible to act against public desires. Many steps are involved, all based on ethical principles.
When asked if he had spoken with Col. Thammanat Phromphao, chairman of the Kla Party advisory board, at the first parliamentary session, Anutin said he had talked with many people but had not yet met Thammanat because of the crowd. However, he did meet other Kla MPs, including Akara Phromphao, Minister of Social Development and Human Security. He said his friendship with Thammanat remains. When asked about discussions with Akara, Anutin said they exchanged congratulations on Akara becoming an MP. Asked if he would have a chance to talk with Thammanat as a friend, Anutin exclaimed "Wow" and said, "Friendship never expires."