"I just told them after they asked me to be leader, why do they have to be concerned about the leader when we don't know if the party will survive or not" he said, referring to the charges of electoral wrongdoing against the party in the Constitution Tribunal.

He said deposed prime minister and former Thai Rak Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra had even asked him to look after the party's members.

"It is normal that a former leader is concerned about the future of the members. I still have connections with the party today," he said.

Chavalit also revealed that it was hard for Thaksin to keep in contact by phone.

"I have to change telephone numbers every month in order to prevent phonetapping," he said.

Meanwhile, acting Thai Rak Thai leader Chaturon Chaisang said he knew that Chavalit had been approached before him and that he was ready to step down if the party's executives were still looking a new leader.

"It is not a new subject because after the coup the party asked him [Chavalit] to accept the post before me," Chaturon said.

He said he didn't know if the party was still interested in Chavalit, but if the party considers that someone may be more suitable as party leader he is ready to step down.

"Chavalit is a respected person. If key members of the party agree that he should be the party leader I will invite him myself. I am only the acting leader," he said.

Chavalit was a senior adviser to the Thai Rak Thai, but decided to leave both the party and politics after a conflict with Thaksin.  

The Nation