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Published on January 18, 2008

The People Power Party and six other parties will tomorrow afternoon announce the creation of a coalition to form a government, party  secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee said yesterday.

Surapong said the announcement had been postponed from today because candidates were still fighting by-elections.

The coalition will then wait for royal endorsement for the convening of Parliament. Then a prime minister and Speaker of the House can be selected.

The allocation of portfolios is expected to be completed by the end of January. A new Cabinet will be sworn in and announce its national policy in Parliament no later than mid-February.

Surapong denied reports there was a tentative Cabinet line-up in place. Whoever asserts this has no direct responsibility in allocating portfolios, he said.

Negotiations over allocation of portfolios will start after the six coalition members officially announce they will form a government with the PPP. He denied there had been pressure from PPP Northeast and North members for Cabinet positions.

He said a Supreme Court ruling on the PPP being a proxy of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai would not affect the six smaller parties' decision to form a government with the PPP.

He said all coalition members had agreed the prime minister should come from People Power. The party will nominate PPP deputy leader Sompong Amornwiwat as one of two candidates for Speaker of the House.

Sompong said he had not been informed, adding that he was not knowledgeable in parliamentary law.

The PPP member for Nakhon Ratchasima, Somchai Petprasert, said the party had allocated 23 Cabinet positions for itself, and its Isaan members should get the bulk of these because that was the region that returned most members.

"Although the party executives are responsible for the allocation of ministerial portfolios, they should consider showing gratitude to Northeast voters who helped People Power to achieve victory," he said.

Deputy secretary-general Noppadon Pattama said the PPP was expected to complete the allocation of Cabinet seats by next week. Party leader Samak Sundaravej and secretary-general Surapong were in charge of the appointments, he said.

Kesinee Jaikawang,

Samatcha Hunsara

The Nation