"Chat Thai is moving full steam ahead with its preparations for the general election," he said.

Banharn said some of his new candidates were actually former Chat Thai members who wanted to come back.

He vowed his party would field candidates based on qualifications and acceptance by the public.

The former PM also said he would stop making political comments during the week-long celebration of the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne. This began yesterday when he declined to comment on the refusal of Election Commission chairman Vasana Puemlarp to relinquish his position.

Candidates applying to join Chat Thai included Tun Jintavej and Chatchawan Chompudaeng from the Mahachon Party. Tun is slated to run for re-election in Ubon Ratchathani, while Chatchawan would switch from being a party-list candidate to contest the constituency ballot in Roi Et.

Chat Thai deputy leader Nikorn Jamnong said his party was negotiating the defection of a number of Thai Rak Thai Party candidates in four southern provinces.

The party aimed to win a House seat each in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Satun, he said.

Commenting on speculation that caretaker Senator Den Tohmeena would join his party, Nikorn said Den would retire from politics after the new Senate assumes office.

Meanwhile, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra refused to comment after he chaired an executive meeting at Thai Rak Thai Party headquarters. He also said he would not talk about politics this week, in deference to His Majesty the King.