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Published on July 21, 2007

Party senior adviser Chaturon Chaisang said yesterday that he would address the Bangkok rally along with other senior members.

He said the rallies were to ask people to show support for the former Thai Rak Thai members to form a new party, not to campaign against the draft constitution.

"I have no idea whether our small rallies will be blocked by the military, but since the Democrat Party has been allowed to broadcast its meetings on TV, I cannot see why we can't hold rallies," he said.

However, he said he suspected the military would block the rallies. Chaturon added that the executives for the planned new party would be announced tomorrow and start work from Monday.

"I still support Thai Rak Thai, and the banned [former Thai Rak Thai] executives should show support for the new executives too. I hope the new panel will give strong leadership to the [new] party," he said.

Chaturon slammed the junta-appointed government for its failures, especially in economic policy, in the 10 months since the Thai Rak Thai government was ousted by the military.

"The people should prepare for an economic crisis arising from the failures of the junta's government. We should not think that the new constitution will return political stability to the country," he said.

"The country cannot progress as it should as long as we are ruled by the military," he said.