Isaan MPs considering their own party, one claims

Ronrithichai Khankhet, a Puea Pandin MP for Yasothon, said his colleagues from PPP, Matchima Thipataya and Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana all agreed it would "best serve the interest of Isaan people" if MPs from the region were in the same political party.

"Isaan MPs must unite or we won't be able to solve problems of the region. MPs from the Northeast will go together. Those from other parties like Ruam Jai Thai and Matchima have talked about this all along," Ronrithichai said.

"We will have to work together to successfully push our policies, just like we did when we were in Thai Rak Thai," he said, referring to their former party that was dissolved by a court order last year.

"Even though former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is not in Thailand now, his popularity is much improving because people have pity for him," the MP said.

The PPP faces an electoral fraud case that could lead to it being dissolved. It has been reported that the ruling party is setting up a new party called Puea Thai (For Thailand) in case People Power is also dissolved for offences by Yongyuth Tiyapairat, who was a PPP executive.

The Matchima Thipataya Party Sunday rejected Ronrithichai's claim of a possible mass defection to a new party formed by MPs within PPP as groundless.

Kiatikorn Pakpiensilp, a Matchima Thipataya MP, said he was assigned by the party's executives to dismiss the claim. He said no MPs from the party had discussed the matter with Ronrithichai.

"This claim is going to cause damage to the party and cause misunderstanding among the public," he said.

Kiatikorn insisted that all 11 Matchima Thipataya MPs remained united and would set up a new political party together, rather than joining another.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who is also the PPP leader, declined to comment Sunday on reports of infighting within the ruling party.