“Lertsak,” the Second Deputy Speaker of the House, explained his absence from the meeting, citing a prior schedule to attend the funeral rites of Princess Bajrakitiyabha. He affirmed that there was no political game involved.
5 Sep 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Lertsak Pattanachayakul, Second Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, clarified the case regarding Mr. Sophon Sarum, Speaker of the House of Representatives, who ordered the closure of the parliamentary meeting on 3 September during the consideration of an urgent motion to address unrest in the southern border provinces. The Speaker cited his inability to preside over the meeting alone because the two other Deputy Speakers were absent, and he had been presiding alone for nearly three hours.
Mr. Lertsak said that on 3 September, he and Ms. Mallika Jirapanwanich, First Deputy Speaker, had a prior commitment to attend the funeral rites of Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Theppayawadi, Princess Rajasarinisiri Patchra Maha Vajraratchathida, at Phra Thinang Phiman Rattaya in the Grand Palace, which had been scheduled since the previous month.
Both he and Ms. Mallika had each presided over the meeting for three hours before Mr. Sophon was scheduled to preside from 17:00 to 20:00. All schedules had been arranged in advance. He was unaware that on 3 September an additional agenda item would be inserted. Had he known that the southern unrest issue and the Election Commission report would be considered on the same day, they would have adjusted their time to allow him to return and preside over the meeting.
. At the end, Mr. Lertsak reaffirmed that everything had been planned beforehand and there was no political game involved. If he had known in advance that the meeting would be extended, he was ready to fully perform his duties. .