Democrats take over

The Democrat Party and defectors from the government coalition have gained a majority in the House and will form a government with Abhisit Vejjajiva as prime minister, the party claimed on Saturday.

Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said the influential Friends of Newin faction from the Northeast had agreed to join the coalition.

The defection of Buri Ram politician Newin tips the political scales and creates new possible scenarios.

Sakda Khongpetch, leader of the Isan Pattana faction that has remained loyal to Thaksin, said that the House could be dissolved and a new election called "as a tool to punish the (Newin) group".

Mr Newin made a dramatic announcement that he was abandoning fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawtra, who still is the icon of the former Thai Rak Thai (now Puea Thai) governing party.

"Time is up for a person with power to return to the country by holding the people hostage," he said.

He also refused to answer the phone calls of Khunying Potjaman, the ex-wife of Thaksin Shinawatra. "It's too late," he said.

Thaksin's ex-wife and long time political helper reportedly tried to mount a last-ditch effort to convince Mr Newin to keep his 37-MP faction in the ranks of Puea Thai - the new iteration of Thai Rak Thai and People Power party.

In the end she failed, although political insiders said her surprise arrival from Hong Kong on Friday evening delayed discussions into the early hours of Saturday.

Other defectors from the dysfunctional government - effectively dissolved last Tuesday by the Constitution Court - include members of the former Chart Thai and Matchimatipataya, as well as Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana and Puea Pandin.

The defections of the minor parties give the Democrats theoretical control of the 500-seat House of Representatives, and the right to try to name a prime minister when the House meets on Monday.

There is no guarantee of this, however. Control of the House is unclear, because the Constitution Court's decision to dissolve three parties and ban 109 politicians created more than 25 vacancies.

Mr Suthep and defectors held a press conference on Saturday evening.

The Democrats' main fund-raiser said the party will establish a new government and promote Mr Abhisit as the new prime minister.

In apparent reaction and disarray, the pro-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) called off its plans to rally in front of the parliament on Sunday and Monday, in order to see who will be the next prime minister.

Veera Musikapong, leader of the "red-shirt group," said on Saturday the UDD will still hold the mobile political talk show known as Kwam Jing Wan Nee (Truth Today) next Saturday at Supachalasai Stadium, the former national stadium in downtown Bangkok.

He said the UDD will not accept the government that is formed unconstitutionally, but it was unclear what he meant by that.

Another UDD leader Jatuporn Phrompan insisted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will make his phone-in address next Saturday.
(BangkokPost.com)