Pracharaj Party abandons idea of a merger

"The party is poor but will not succumb to a merger," party deputy secretary general Suchart Bandasak said.

Suchart admitted, however, that he recently met with People Power Party's Yongyuth Tiyapairat because they used to be allies under the Thai Rak Thai banner of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

He said he and Yongyuth did not touch on the political situation but talked about their old ties.

He said his party leader Snoh Thienthong would fight on without merging with another party.

In regard to his party's foiled merger with Matchima Thippatai and Ruam Jai Chat Pattana, he said Snoh showed up at the threeparty meeting on Sunday without realising it was planned as a merger negotiation.

He said his party would have to search for a new party secretary general following the resignation of Chianchuang Kalayanamitr.

He said Chianchuang's departure was a personal decision and not a result of the foiled merger.

Party merger canned

Earlier Matchima Thippatai Party leader Prachai Leopairatana dismissed criticism that the Sunday's collapse of a threeparty merger plan was a political joke, arguing the informal gettogether was never meant to negotiate anything.

"I don't know who give the local press an idea about merger as my party has not wavered in its stand and no merger plan is about to take off," he said.

Prachai said his party is ready to talk with Pracharaj and Ruam Jai Chat Pattana in order to map out a common strategy to bargain for slots in the next coalition government.

"The next government will definitely be a coalition and three parties might jump on the bandwagon pending the election outcome," he said.

He spoke on the sidelines of a party orientation for his party's election candidates from Bangkok.

"The party remains hopeful to work with other parties under its lead role," Matchima's Narong Piriyaanek said on Monday.

The Nation