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Published on August 28, 2007

CNS spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said yesterday's meeting of council members discussed the latest developments of the People Power Party, which recently voted political veteran Samak Sundaravej as its leader.

"We are afraid that the people will fall into a trap of propaganda and eloquent speeches that this party will create in a bid to return to power,'' the spokesman said.

Samak announced that he was Thaksin's nominee.

Meanwhile, Pongpol Adi-reksarn, a former Thai Rak Thai party executive, warned Samak yesterday that he must lead the party by making it an institution and not side with any group, or represent any one person. Otherwise, he warned, the new party would meet the same end as the former Thai Rak Thai.

"Even though he has good intentions, … he has to listen to the voice of the whole party not just one group of people,'' Pongpol said.

Samak yesterday defended himself against criticism after he said he did not mind being considered a nominee of Thaksin.

"The word nominee is not a bad thing. It is actually a good thing for the country. Since foreign countries started their investment in Thailand, they needed Thai families to be shareholders, but the word nominee was wrongly interpreted,'' Samak said.

He said he accepted the post of leader because he wanted to provide a political stage for Thai Rak Thai group members who were not banned from politics to play their political role. "The Election Commission has said that claiming to be a nominee is like claiming to being a fan club member, which is not illegal.''

The Nation