Suwat Liptapanlop and his 29-member Lam Ta Kong faction announced their resignations from the Thai Rak Thai Party and the forming of a "path of reconciliation" alliance during celebrations for his 52nd birthday at his home yesterday.

Suwat, who led the now defunct Chat Pattana Party into a merger with deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's party almost three years ago, was reported to have decided on the latest move after a recent meeting with key members of the Council for National Security (CNS) about forming a new party to inherit power from the current military-installed government.

Suwat yesterday said he had personal connections but no political relationship with CNS secretary-general General Winai Phattiyakul, one of the CNS members he was reported to have spoken with.

"I have known General Winai since I was secretary-general of the Puangchon Chao Thai [Thai People] Party, when he was a close aide to General Arthit Kamlang-ek, the party leader. He is also my school senior, but we have never talked about the political situation or forming a party," Suwat said at a press conference at his home.

He said he had not met any other junta member. However, CNS chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin was reported yesterday to have admitted to meeting Suwat and Pinij Charusombat, leader of the Thai Rak Thai's Wang Phayanak faction, to shore up national security.

Suwat's birthday celebrations have often had political significance. While this year he chose it as an auspicious time to announce the resignation of his faction from Thai Rak Thai, at his birthday party two years ago Thaksin hailed him as a potential prime minister.

Suwat said he had decided it was a suitable time to quit following Thaksin's recent pledge to retire from politics and discussions with his faction members and leaders of other Thai Rak Thai factions including Pinij, Suwit Khunkitti and Preecha Laohapongchana.

"We have been thinking about resigning for a while because the coup was causing confusion among party members, but we tried to sustain the party. Now the party has people to take care of it, it is time for us to leave in order to seek a resolution, which is a reconciliation," he said.

Suwat yesterday repeated the word "reconciliation" many times. Nonetheless, he said he had no plans to form a new party because he was awaiting the conclusion of the electoral-fraud case against Thai Rak Thai in the Constitution Tribunal.

The party could be dissolved if found guilty. According to a CNS announcement, executive members of any party will be banned from politics for five years if the party is dissolved for breaking electoral law. Suwat was an executive of Thai Rak Thai.

Suwat said he had not contacted Thaksin since he was deposed. He said he had tried to contact Thaksin after deciding to leave the party but did not know where he was. He then tried to contact Thaksin's wife, Khunying Pojaman, three times but failed and finally told caretaker leader Chaturon Chaisang of the decision on Thursday, he said.

The 30 membership resignations were submitted yesterday. Another 40 members in Pinij's faction have already written their resignations but are waiting for a suitable time.

Both politicians and business figures attended the celebrations at Suwat's home on Rajvithi Road. The politicians included members of the Democrat party, led by Suthep Thaugsuban, Chat Thai members led by Somsak Prisanananthakul and Mahachon Party leader Sanan Kachornprasart, but no senior Thai Rak Thai members.

Pinij said his faction had no plans to join Suwat's group or to form a new party but they shared the goal of harmony in the country.

"We have not come together to form a party," he insisted.

 Sucheera Pinijparakarn

 The Nation