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Published on August 25, 2007

"The EC, particularly its member Sodsri Satayatham, should try to understand the name without having any personal bias," Army expert Maj-General Khattiya Sawasdiphol said.

Khattiya had asked to name his party "Se Daeng".

Sodsri objected to the name on the grounds of not naming a party after an individual. "Se Daeng" is Khattiya's alias.

In his rebuttal, Khattiya said Sodsri had misunderstood the name. "Se" is actually a Thai abbreviation for a staff position meant for planning and strategy, while "Daeng" means the colour red, signalling patriotism, he said.

He also dismissed the allegation that he wanted to form the party in order to pocket the subsidised funds for political parties.

"My party is a mass movement for young men who want to serve society, although they are not ready to contest the elections," he said, claiming that in the initial stage his party would be a political institution designed to get involved in civic issues.