Ex-PPP factions at odds with smaller coalition partners

Snoh Thienthong, leader of the coalition Pracharaj Party, said the five smaller coalition partners remained emphatic in their joint stance that - in order to help prevent a political crisis from recurring - a representative from their parties must be the next PM.

He said if the next prime minister is from either the Democrat or Pheu Thai parties - the latter is the reincarnation of the disbanded PPP - there would be renewed confrontation between the pro-PPP red-shirted people and the anti-PPP yellow-clad protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy.

"The five smaller parties from the original coalition agree that we won't support any candidate from Pheu Thai or the Democrats," Snoh said.

However, key figures from other smaller parties said yesterday Pheu Thai should have the authority to nominate the new PM but, at the same time, the nominee should be well qualified.

A faction of PPP MPs loyal to banned politician Newin Chidchob has yet to move to Pheu Thai, with its members reserving their right to vote freely in selecting a new prime minister.

The larger group of MPs from the PPP who have moved to Pheu Thai insist they prefer a PM candidate from the old PPP.

MP Sakda Kongphet said yesterday that about 180 MPs from the PPP had moved to Pheu Thai to form the largest group of MPs in the House. With its majority control, he said, the group should be entitled to have its representative become the new premier.

"The next PM must come from Pheu Thai or we won't be able to explain to voters why we allowed a smaller party's representative to become PM when we have the largest number of MPs," he said.

Pheu Thai spokesman Sakda Noppasit said caretaker Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul was likely to dissolve the House if agreement could not be reached about the next PM. He insisted the law does not prevent a caretaker PM from dissolving the House.

Ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who has retained his influence over many PPP MPs, earlier this week called leaders of smaller coalition partners to persuade them to join a new coalition to be led by Pheu Thai, a source said yesterday.

A dinner meeting between leaders of the parties from the previous coalition and Pheu Thai was held on Thursday night to discuss candidates for the next prime minister.

Boonjong Wongtrairat, an MP from Newin's faction, said it was unlikely that the 30-something MPs from the group would defect to the Democrat Party, as speculated.

In a related development, government whips will submit a list of MPs supporting a motion seeking an extraordinary House meeting on Monday to select a prime minister, said government chief whip Witthaya Buranasiri.

Meanwhile, Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai yesterday saw a slim chance of his party forming a new coalition government with the support of defectors from the previous coalition.

He said that unlike in 1997, when then-PM Chavalit Yongchaiyudh resigned after a financial crisis, the parties from the previous coalition had not agreed to switch camp.

Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban, however, said there remained a possibility for camp-switching if leaders of smaller parties wanted to effect changes to society.

He said those parties should give Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva a chance following the previous coalition's failure.