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The leader of a group of senators calling themselves the October 24 Group denied yesterday they were attempting to unseat Senate Speaker Prosopsuk Boondet, saying they only wanted to question him as to his role.

Ratchaburi Senator Kecha Saksomboon said 64 senators in the group had signed a query addressed to Prasopsuk about his move against constitutional amendment, not a demand for his impeachment.

Kecha said it was clear that senators were divided into two groups and the public could judge which were neutral. He said those who agreed with amending Article 291 of the Constitution to pave for the setting up of a constitutional drafting committee were gathering signatures to push for the amendment. They have so far gathered 50 signatures.

Deputy Senate Speaker Nikom Wairatpanit denied he was trying to unseat the speaker or that some senators wanted him as Senate speaker, saying these were just rumours. He said he had been attacked by 40 senators so he wanted to explain that he was seeking solutions to the country's political impasse.

He said the Senate speaker had held the position for only six months and would undergo evaluation after one year. He said the 64 senators wanted him to clarify whether he agreed with the move to amend the Constitution but he had not signed, though not because he agreed with the other group of senators. "I have explained to the speaker as I do not want him to misunderstand. I have never wanted to be number one: number two is good enough for me: I do not want twice the workload,'' he said.

He urged the group of 40 to review their role because they were not acting neutrally. Although he liked many things they did, such as checking on the government, he believed some lay beyond their role. "I just want to tell them to be neutral,'' he said.

Nikom denied that he had close ties with former Thai Rak Thai leaders and had been favouring politicians. He said he had a proud record since entering politics and everything he did was in furtherance of Senate neutrality.