Several former Thai Rak Thai MPs from Bangkok are striving for places on the party list for the next election following survey results that predict dismal prospects for them in many of the capital's constituencies, a party source said yesterday.

Former MPs like Sita Divari and Pimol Srivikorn, who won in the Klong Toei and Bang Kapi constituencies respectively in 2005, have informed deputy party leader Sudarat Keyuraphan, who is in charge of the Bangkok campaign, about their desire to be on the party list, the source said.

Public opinion polls conducted by the ruling party have found decreased support for Thai Rak Thai in many constituencies of Bangkok and it is likely that the party's candidates might lose in at least 15 of the capital's 37 constituencies, the source said.

The ruling party has seen a decline in popularity in Bung Kum, Bang Kapi, Klong Toei, Phya Thai, Huai Khwang, Watthana, Phra Khanong, Din Daeng and Wang Thonglang districts, most of which gave strong support

to Thai Rak Thai candidates in

the 2001 and 2005 general elections.

The source said Sudarat last week met with certain party leaders and former Bangkok MPs and they concluded that there was a need to change the campaign strategies and candidates in many of Bangkok constituencies.

The party's surveys also showed that Thai Rak Thai's popularity was unaffected in outer constituencies of the city and the party still expected to win between 10 and 15 seats from Bangkok, the source said.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday spent a large portion of his speech on "Thai politics under a new Election Commission" offering himself as a capable candidate for prime minister.

Abhisit said that despite his relative youth - he turned 42 last Thursday - he was well prepared to become a modern leader who is a professional politician.

He said Thailand needed a professional politician at the government's helm.

"In the next election, we have to decide what type of leader we want.

"If we just look at rich men who are hungry for power, ultimately we will head for crisis," he told a gathering of the Rotary Club at the Tawana Ramada hotel.

The Democrat leader said he did not want to be compared to caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is the Thai Rak Thai leader.

"But if you think Thaksin is the cause of the problem, you must consider alternatives. I insist that I'm definitely different from Thaksin," said Abhisit.

He said the country had been severely divided, which he described as the worst aspect of the political crisis facing Thailand. "I have been in politics for 15 years and have never seen such a severe crisis," he said.