Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut, leader of the People's Party, has pledged to perform his duties as opposition leader vigorously despite a looming legal case involving 44 MPs from his party.
Speaking on Monday after leading fellow MPs to formally register at the House of Representatives, Mr Natthaphong said the party remained focused on preparing for the upcoming parliamentary session and would intensify scrutiny of the government's work.
Key priorities include preparing draft legislation for parliamentary consideration, organising the election of the House speaker and deputy speakers, and strengthening oversight of government policies, he said.
The People's Party, which will serve as the main opposition party after failing to join the governing coalition, remains ready to work constructively with other political parties in parliament, Mr Natthaphong added.
"Even if our positions differ, there are still issues where we can work together, particularly in scrutinising the government," he said.
The party will also move to establish an opposition whip and formally appoint an opposition leader once internal discussions are completed.
Mr Natthaphong admitted that the legal case involving 44 MPs has created uncertainty but insisted the party is preparing for all scenarios to ensure its work continues without disruption.
Party members are expected to hold meetings to discuss contingency plans, including how leadership roles might be reassigned if the situation worsens.
Under parliamentary rules, the opposition leader must come from the largest opposition party, which currently positions the People's Party to hold the post.
Meanwhile, Dr Wayo Assawarungruang, a list MP and the party's deputy leader for legal affairs, clarified confusion surrounding the deadline for the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to submit the case involving the 44 MPs to the Supreme Court.
He said the legal deadline is not Monday, as widely believed, but Wednesday.
The 30-day deadline began when the NACC passed its resolution on Feb 9, he explained, noting that February has only 28 days, meaning the legal calculation places the final day on Wednesday.
Despite the uncertainty, Dr Wayo said he still had confidence in the judicial process, noting that the case would be handled by the Supreme Court's ordinary division rather than the Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.
During the registration on Monday, he led 118 People's Party MPs to parliament. One MP, Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, was absent due to personal business and is expected to report later.
