MP Bhandit Warns Thailand Risks Disadvantage Against Cambodia Due to Parliament President's Decision Not to Send Delegation to APA Meeting, Demands Accountability

Key summary

On November 6, 2026, at 09:40 AM, at the Parliament, Mr. Bhandit Nuamchoem, a Member of Parliament for Bangkok from the People's Party, stated that Thailand is at a disadvantage compared to Cambodia in the Asia Parliamentary Assembly (APA) meeting. This is because the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr. Sopon Saram, ordered that a delegation not be sent to participate. Originally, it was planned that a Senator would be the head of the delegation, with Mr. Bhandit as the deputy head. However, the Speaker recently canceled the trip. Cambodia is using this platform to discuss issues related to the Thai-Cambodian border, the Preah Vihear temple, and sovereignty, and has also requested to continue hosting meetings in Cambodia. The meeting report contains statements from Cambodia but lacks information from Thailand. The International Organizations Department has drafted a statement in response, which is awaiting review by the Speaker. Mr. Bhandit criticized the Speaker for the decision that resulted in a missed opportunity to protect national interests and called for a focus on maintaining sovereignty, rather than focusing on trivial matters. He emphasized the importance of addressing key issues such as toxins in the Kok River, human trafficking, and child labor.