Anek was responding to the decision by Premsak Phiayura to resign from Thai Rak Thai, which has caused the number of its party-list MP candidates to fall from 100 to 99.

With the opposition parties boycotting the election, Thai Rak Thai had been expected to win all 100 party-list seats as smaller parties would find it almost impossible to get enough votes to take seats.

The law requires that the Parliament have a full complement of 400 elected MPs and 100 party-list MPs in order to sit and select a prime minister.

Anek pointed to the election last year when the Mahachon Party worked hard in numerous constituencies for more than six months yet was unable to achieve 5 per cent of the vote.

The former Mahachon leader said the small parties know they cannot get enough party-list votes as the election is too near to allow for adequate campaigning. Therefore the only way they could achieve the 5 per cent limit was to sell out to the ruling Thai Rak Thai Party.

The Thai Chuay Thai Party, however, believed it had a chance to win party-list seats, party leader Suthip Tubtimted said.

"Previously, we could not get that 5 per cent, but the three [main] opposition parties will not be fielding candidates, so that has given us a chance," she said.

Suthip insisted Thai Rak Thai would not have to give votes to her party.

"Our party was established eight years ago and we have ballot bases in the Northeast and the South. I assure you that we can reach the 5 per cent requirement," she said.

Sucheera Pinijparakarn

The Nation