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Published on August 23, 2007

The election is four months away, but following the referendum hundreds of politicians are busy scheming to be part of the next government.

Many former members of the defunct Thai Rak Thai are desperately seeking a new party and a new leader.

If new parties are to be formed, they must do so and register by the end of this month.

The Matchima Group and Ruam Jai Thai have decided to merge, forming a new party.

The group could become a new powerhouse and win the election if they can convince groups such as Pracharaj and Saman Chan to join.

But Pracharaj leader Snoh Thienthong and Saman Chan's Suwat Liptapanlop have said they will not consider joining them.

Chat Pattana on Tuesday became the first political party to register with the Election Commission after the ban on political activity was lifted last week.

The party is considered a Suwat vehicle. But he is one of 111 former TRT executives banned from politics for five years.

Baan Rim Nam led by Suchart Tancharoen - with 20 former members of Parliament - will join former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, wherever he goes.

Other former Thai Rak Thai members are likely to join the People Power Party, the most common new home for them.

It is due to select a leader tomorrow. Veteran politician Samak Sundaravej is the most likely contender.

A big problem for the self-proclaimed "third choice", Ruam Jai Thai and Matchima, is their lack of an obvious leader.

Veteran politicians will be attractive choices for political groups struggling to find prominent and competent candidates to head their respective groups.

Both Matchima-Ruam Jai Thai and People Power Party have looked at Chavalit.

The former PM and Army chief appears to favour Matchima-Ruam Jai Thai. He is reportedly keen on becoming the next prime minister, not just being a party leader.

Analysts say he may wish to erase his tarnished image, which was badly dented by the 1997 economic crisis.

Out of Matchima-Ruam Jai Thai and People Power Party, the former has more chance to be a core party in a government coalition.

As everyone knows, the junta will do everything possible to stop People Power - which has strong ties to former premier Thaksin Shinawatra - from winning the election.

And, Matchima-Ruam Jai Thai seems to have a "special" power to attract small parties to it to form a bigger organisation.

One of its leaders, Anek Laothamatas, has said the new group wants to be a core party in the next government.

The group has 100 former members of Parliament. If it can attract Suwat's faction, which has 60 former MPs, plus another 10 from Snoh's party, and 20 from the Baan Rim Nam it could win the election with about 200 seats.

Although Suwat and Snoh insisted they would not join the "third choice", they may not be able to resist its special power.

Matchima-Ruam Jai Thai is also regarded as the party with military backing.

Another group leader Pradit Pataraprasit denied this, saying it would not become another Samakkhi-tham Party, which was formed to give the 1991 junta a political vehicle.

In regard to Chavalit, there are a number of reasons why the 75-year-old politician remains attractive to political groups.

First, he is experienced. Second is his connection with the military. He is respected among politicians and he is popular in the Northeast, the region that could decide the general election.

His former New Aspiration Party won the election in 1996. His party won most votes in the Northeast. Also, Chavalit is widely believed to have manipulated "no" votes in the region during last Sunday's referendum on the new constitution.

Chavalit's Nakhon Phanom stronghold delivered the most votes against the charter.

So if Chavalit does end up taking the helm for Matchima-Ruam Jai Thai his chances of becoming prime minister would receive a major boost.

Piyanart Srivalo,

Somroutai Sapsomboon

The Nation