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Published on November 30, 2007

Addressing a special session of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand on Tuesday, party leader Suwit Khunkitti said all parties in the current political conflict needed to reconcile to restore social order.

Asked whether Puea Pandin would join People Power Party or the Democrat Party in a coalition government, he said this was not an issue. The point was all parties should support reconciliation in the country, he said.

Party adviser Surakiart Sathirathai said that while Puea Pandin would not commit to either of the two leading parties, it would not join the side that caused society to be divided and polarised politics.

"I want the country to move beyond the issue of conflict and disunity," Surakiart said.

Both Suwit and Surakiart, former ministers in the Thaksin Shinawatra governments, insisted Puea Pandin was founded to serve the national interest and was independent of the deposed premier. "We're not Thaksin's nominee," Suwit said.

He said many people had raised funds to support Puea Pandin's campaign, adding that they wanted the party to be an "alternative" amid the limited choices for voters.

Surakiart voiced concern about the likelihood of People Power winning the election and taking power. The military would not be pleased with such an outcome because the leaders of the coup last year had wanted to change the regime, but it looked as if it might make a comeback one year later.

"But what else can we do?" he asked. "That's democracy."

The Nation