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Published on December 28, 2007

However, it is only the beginning of a game of lobbying and bargaining for power.

While the PPP and the Democrat Party are competing to form a government, other small parties are pushing hard to raise their value as potential coalition members.

Behind the scenes are key players who can decide which side will rule the country.

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People Power Party (PPP)

As the winning party with 233 of 480 seats, the PPP is pushing hard to form the government.

Party members including secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee, Sudarat Keyuraphan and Yongyuth Tiyapairat have played a key role in "inviting" small parties to join its PPP-led coalition, which includes Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana, Matchima Thipataya and Pracharaj.

PPP leader Samak will reportedly only "close the deal" after those key members reach agreements with the small parties.

At this point, it should not be difficult for the PPP because some key members of the three small parties are former members of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party under deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

PPP key member Chalerm Yoobamrung is said to have talked with Banharn Silapa-archa, the Chart Thai Party's leader, about how Chart Thai could join the PPP coalition.

Although the Chart Thai and Puea Pandin Parties have not yet decided if they will join the PPP or the Democrats, the PPP has begun to allocate potential Cabinet posts to its coalition parties.

If the three parties decide to join its coalition, the PPP will then have 254 seats - and the legitimacy to become the government.

Sudarat and Yongyuth, along with a group of PPP key members went to Hong Kong on Wednesday. It is believed they wanted to consult Thaksin about the government's formation.

Democrat Party

Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban have found themselves in trouble since the election result.

Although the Democrats won 165 seats - the highest number in its history - they are running out of bargaining power. As the PPP has the potential to form the government, other small parties have opened negotiations with PPP while turning off the channel to the Democrats at this point.

Abhisit and Suthep will be waiting and hoping to see if PPP fails to form the government. If so, the Democrats would have a chance.

Suthep conceded he had talked with Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa and Puea Pandin leader Suwit Khunkitti on Sunday night. But he has not contacted them since .

However, Suthep reportedly rejected the Chart Thai Party's offer that it would join the Democrats under the condition that Banharn assumes the premiership.

Chart Thai Party

By winning 37 of 480 seats - around 20 below his target - Banharn Silapa-archa could not hide his concern that his party might end up in the opposition when the first House session convenes next month.

Banharn and his advisor Sanan Kachornprasart quickly decided to start a game he hopes will lift his bargaining power.

After learning that his party faced a humiliating defeat on Sunday, they both went to see Vatana Asavahame, the advisory chairman of the Puea Pandin Party which won 24 seats.

He has tried to secure support from Vatana, so that Chart Thai and Puea Pandin can have more bargaining power to tip the balance between the PPP and the Democrats.

As he believes Samak Sundaravej, leader of the People Power Party, will face strong opposition if he assumes the premiership, Banharn has reportedly tried to exploit the 61 seats of both parties to bargain with PPP and the Democrats.

The condition is that the Chart Thai-Puea Pandin coalition will join either of the two big parties but only if they will back him to be the prime minister.

Puea Pandin Party

Puea Pandin is now deciding which coalition it will join to form the government - the PPP or the Democrats.

On Sunday night, the party's advisory chairman Vatana Asavahame welcomed Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa at his Bangkok residence where they agreed the two parties would make a joint decision on which side they would take.

By winning 24 seats, Puea Pandin has been approached by the PPP and the Democrats to help form the coalition government.

As Vatana is a fierce enemy of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra and PPP leader Samak Sundaravej, he tends to side with the Democrats.

Party leader Suwit Khunkitti, who failed to win a seat in Khon Kaen, refuses to commit his party to either side.

However, most of Puea Pandin's winning candidates are from the north-eastern provinces, the PPP's stronghold. They announced they would join the PPP as local people still have faith in Thaksin.

Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana Party

The party decided to join the PPP coalition shortly after it learned its candidates had only won nine seats.

Two key party factions are eager to push their members into posts in the PPP-led coalition.

Suwat Liptapanlop and Pradit Pataraprasit are bargaining for limited seats, which the PPP has promised to give.

Suwat is banned from assuming any political post for five years as he is a former executive of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party. However, some candidates he backs could manage to win seats including his wife Poonpirom and party's leader Gen Chettha Thanacharo.

Pradit is reportedly asking for the post of deputy transport minister for himself.

Matchima Thipataya Party

Not only did the party flop by winning just seven seats, leader Prachai Liewpairatana failed to get into the House as a party-list candidate.

As a result he has no choice but to welcome the PPP's invitation to join its coalition.

Prachai is a fierce enemy of deposed premier Thaksin Shinawatra and was allegedly a key financier behind the anti-Thaksin rallies last year. Through his party's campaign, he attacked Thaksin for ruining the country during his years in power. He alleges it would happen again if the PPP wins.

But due to his limited options, Prachai must forget the past. His party has assigned secretary-general Anongwan Thepsutin as chief negotiator to discuss joining a coalition with other parties.

Prachai is said to have asked for the finance post in exchange for his party's entry into the PPP-led coalition.

Anongwan is the wife of the party's advisor Somsak Thepsutin, a minister in the Thaksin government. Somsak has reportedly contacted the PPP and has vowed to join its coalition.

Pracharaj Party

Party leader Snoh Thienthong did not hesitate to throw in his lot with the PPP after his party won just five seats.

He once said the most painful moment of his life was when he raised Thaksin's arm to announce his support for Thaksin as the future government leader.

Snoh broke up with Thaksin while the Thai Rak Thai Party was in power. He then joined the anti-Thaksin rallies to attack Thaksin's style of "dictatorship".

A few weeks before the Sunday election, however, Snoh changed his stand by saying he backed Thaksin's idea of forming a national government of reconciliation, which would include all the main political parties.

Pracharaj is said to be getting one Cabinet post in the PPP-led coalition.

The Nation