Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra gets a blessing from his deputy and acting government head Chidchai Vanasatidya ahead of the Thai New Year during a meeting at party headquarters yesterday.

Thai Rak Thai members yesterday celebrated Songkran festival in tears as they sprinkled water on their leader Thaksin Shinawatra at the party's headquarters.

Thaksin told them the Democrats and People's Alliance for Democracy aimed to remove the Thai Rak Thai Party from the country's political scene.

"They are doing it step by step. Now they have removed me, next they will destroy our party. So I want everyone to help each other.

"Some ministers have played safe and did not come out in defence of the party. We were also not united and eventually the situation got out of hand.

"Damage control was too late. We were verbally attacked till we lost. I admit that I made the move too late,'' Thaksin said.

Party secretary-general Suriya Jungrungreangkit led members in wishing Thaksin a happy Thai New Year.

"There has been no incident in Thai political history when a prime minister announced he was taking a political break and thousands of people shed tears,'' he said.

Suriya said party members would dedicate themselves to maintaining the party and be united as Thaksin requested - and ensure he remains the centre of the party. Suriya said he believed Thaksin would return as prime minister in one year.

Party leaders Somkid Jatusripitak, Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, Watana Muangsook, Suwat Liptapanlop and Chidchai Vanasatidya all sprinkled water on Thaksin. Yaowapa Wongsawat, Thaksin's sister embraced him and cried.

Thai Rak Thai party-list MP Porntip Pattanakulert, Bangkok MP elect Sawaeng Rerkcharal, and Sukhothai MP elect Anongwan Thepsuthin had tears in their eyes.

They also expressed their feelings during the meeting that they could not answer to their constituents as to why Thaksin had to take a political break when the party had won the election.

Porntip said she defected from the Democrats to the Thai Rak Thai because she had full faith in the party's policies. She added that during the 12 years she was with the Democrats, she had written an anti-drug law but it was never implemented.

Thaksin will fly with his family tomorrow night to England and will be back for the party's annual caucus on April 25. Suwat, Watana, Newin Chidchob, Surakiart Sathirathai also booked tickets to fly out with Thaksin.

Thaksin said he is determined to build the party into an institution and believes every party-list MP can take a turn at becoming prime minister.

During this meeting, Thaksin appeared to change his character by tending to listen to the opinions of the party's members.