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Published on January 1, 2008

"Somchai Wongsawat agreed to accept the five-point demand, so I told him that joining the government won't be a problem," he said in reference to the invitation by People Power's deputy leader for Chart Thai and Puea Pandin parties to join the coalition alliance.

Banharn said he was pleased with the People Power's stand on national solidarity.

He said Chart Thai and Puea Pandin would hold a meeting tomorrow to formally accept the invitation to join the People Power-led coalition. He refused to comment on whether his decision on the alliance would disappoint a respected figure of 30 years. In earlier remarks about his unwavering ties with the Democrats, Banharn said he would not let down a man he had respected for 30 years.

He also said he expected the allocation of ministerial portfolios to be based on House seats won by each of the coalition partners. Chart Thai did not demand for seven to eight Cabinet seats for its 37 MPs as alleged, he said.

Meanwhile, Puea Pandin spokesman Wachiramon Kunakasemthanawat, the other middle-sized party allied with Chart Thai, said yesterday his party had not decided whether to join the PPP-led coalition. They would wait till after the meeting tomorrow, he said.

The Nation