Gen Kriangkrai Srirak, who garnered the most votes in the public administration and security professional group in last week's Senate election, welcomed speculation that he would become the Senate Speaker.
If said if he is trusted by most other members of the Senate to become the new Senate Speaker as speculated, he will not have a problem accepting the top Upper House job, he said on Thursday.
His main interest, however, is in the Senate's security work, particularly that which concerns security matters in the three southernmost provinces -- Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat -- he said.
He is seen by some observers as the leader of the senators-elect believed to be backed by the Bhumjaithai Party.
Gen Kriangkrai, who retired about a year ago, recently served as chief adviser to Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, the Bhumjaithai leader.
The two were classmates in the National Defence College's study programme, which is widely seen as a connection-making course designed mainly for political and business leaders.
According to a source, Senator-elect Mongkol Surasajja is also speculated to have a good chance of becoming the new Senate Speaker.
Mongkol: Has links to Bhumjaithai
Mr Mongkol, a former director-general of the Department of Provincial Administration and Buri Ram governor, is among the ten successful candidates in the same professional group as Gen Kriangkrai.
Mr Mongkol, too, is seen by some pundits as being a close associate of Bhumjaithai. He also knows Gen Kriangkrai very well because they have been working together at the Interior Ministry since their retirement. Mr Mongkol serves as an adviser to Deputy Interior Minister Songsak Thongsri, who is also from Bhumjaithai, said a source.
Meanwhile, about 20 senators-elect who do not have a clear connection with either Bhumjaithai or the opposition Move Forward Party (MFP) were invited to a get-together next week at Five Provinces Bordering Forest Preservation Foundation, said a different source.
The foundation, located in the 1st Infantry Regiment in Bangkok's Phaya Thai district, has long been associated with Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, the leader of the Palang Pracharath Party.
Political activist Sonthiya Sawatdee on Thursday joined a growing call for the Election Commission (EC) to speed up verifying the Senate election's result and announce it.
Thai Sang Thai deputy leader, Chavalit Vichayasut, said he believed the Senate poll breached the constitution because some provinces do not have a senator to represent them.
