"The PM is a good and capable man but if he sticks to his ego identity, he will be unhappy, his family will be unhappy and also the public,'' he said.

He said he decided to quit the party and enter the monkhood to force all sides in the conflict to hold talks to end the crisis.

Phra Premasakko 's resignation reduced the number of Thai Rak Thai party-list MP candidates from 100 to 99, dashing its hopes of winning all 100 party-list seats.

Thai Rak Thai deputy leader Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan said deputy leader Pongthep Thepkanchana was consulting the party's legal team over Premasakko 's resignation and may have to talk to the Election Commission.

She denied that the party would ask people to vote for small parties so they could get at least 5 per cent of the total votes cast to secure some party-list seats.

Addressing a press conference at Wat Suan Kaew in Nonthaburi's Bang Yai district, Phra Premasakko said he had no political plans and no fixed time to end his monkhood.

He said he would like to invite everyone to let their "self" go and not be attached to power and position. He wanted all sides in the political conflict to think of Anatta (unself). "Be it a minister's or prime minister's post, it is Anatta; if you cling to it, you feel heavy. If you let go, you will all be happy,'' he said.

The monk denied that former Democrat Party candidate Pramual Aimpia was behind his decision to resign.

He said he came to the abbot of Wat Suan Kaew, Phra Phayom Kallayano, for advice on the political situation. The abbot told him that all sides should iron out their differences: the government which is adamant about going ahead with the April 2 election, the opposition which is boycotting the election, and the People's Alliance for Democracy, which plans to stage a mass rally tomorrow.

"I believe my resignation will help all three sides to end the conflict,'' he said.