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Published on November 4, 2007

The People Power Party (PPP) announced yesterday that Mingkwan Saengsu-wan, former president of MCOT, and Plodprasop Suraswadee, former permanent secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, had joined its economic team.

The party said Finance Ministry permanent secretary Supharat Kawatkul might head the team but this was still under negotiation. Supharat is currently tied up with an investigation into alleged misconduct by three senior officials at the ministry, but the PPP insists the chances of him joining up as one its leading candidates are high.

People Power said General Ruengroj Mahasaranont, former supreme commander of the armed forces under deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's administration, would handle its security policy.

Ruengroj is believed to have been coerced by the Council for National Security (CNS) into joining its first press conference after its coup to overthrow Thaksin in September last year.

Ruengroj, who is also deputy leader of the avowedly pro-Thaksin party, will be joined on its security policy team by Lt-General Udomsak Ongkasin.

PPP secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee said the party would need to periodically assess the political situation and see which candidates other parties put forward.

Party leader Samak Sundaravej will run as a party-list candidate, as the top name on its list for Constituency 6.

Surapong expressed confidence that the party would receive solid support from voters in the North and Northeast, regions that were the stronghold of Thaksin's now disbanded Thai Rak Thai party. Surapong added that People Power would soon announce a much more comprehensive list of populist policies.

The party is keeping them secret for now for fear they are copied by rival parties that are now offering policies first introduced by Thai Rak Thai, he said.

The Ruam Jai Thai Chat Pattana Party said yesterday that party leader and former Army chief General Chettha Thanajaro would be its top party-list candidate for Constituency 6.

Deputy party leader Anek Laothamatas will run as a party-list candidate for Constituency 1, and Maj-General Poonpirom Lipta-

panlop, wife of political veteran and party adviser Suwat Liptapanlop, will be a party-list candidate for Constituency 5.

Former Finance permanent secretary Somchainuk Engtrakul will assist the party on economic policy but will not run for election.

Ruam Jai Thai Chat Pattana said it would contest only 200 of the 400 direct-election constituencies due to lack of preparation time and other factors.

Democrat Party deputy leader Alongkorn Pollabutr said yesterday that the party expects to win 35 to 40 seats in the Central region, which comprises 26 provinces.

The Nation