Chalerm Frontrunner to be PM

Outspoken politician Chalerm Yoobamrung tops the short list of prime ministerial candidates under the Puea Thai Party, ahead of Mingkwan Sangsuwan and deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai, while Transport Minister Santi Prompat is viewed as a dark horse.

None of them is a party executive and are therefore exempted from a five-year ban from politics.

Chalerm was the favourite choice of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his ex-wife Pojaman.

"Chalerm's character is suited to the current situation. He is loyal, adventurous and uncompromising," said a source from the now-defunct PPP.

Observers said Thaksin had chosen Chalerm as his third-generation nominee in order to pave the way for his graceful return to politics.

Mingkwan was supported by former PPP deputy leader Yongyuth Tiyapairat's group for the premier's post.

The Constitution Court yesterday ruled to disband three coalition parties, People Power Party (PPP), Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya, and banned their executives from the electoral process for five years. The high court held the three parties accountable for electoral fraud involving party executives.

With the court verdict, Somchai and 12 ministers will automatically lose their ministerial posts. Other MPs from the three parties must find a new party to join.

All PPP MPs are expected to join the Puea Thai Party, the reincarnation of the PPP.

Meanwhile, all the coalition parties agreed to stick together, outgoing Deputy Health Minister Wicharn Meenchainant said yesterday after the Constitution Court ruled to dissolve the three parties.

Outgoing PM's Office Minister Sukhumpong Ngonkham said it would be up to House Speaker Chai Chidchob to convene the House to elect a new prime minister. He could raise the issue for discussion during an emergency session on December 8-9 or call for another session.

 Outgoing Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong from the Pracharaj Party said, "Calculate and you will see that it is impossible [for coalition parties] to switch to the other polar [by joining the Democrat Party]."

A source from yesterday's Cabinet meeting in Chiang Mai, who asked not to be named, said that when the Constitution Court was reading the ruling, Somchai stopped the meeting so all the ministers could pay attention to the broadcast of the court's ruling.

After learning of the ruling, many ministers who are party executives became tearful. They included outgoing Agriculture Minister Somsak Prissanananthakul from Chart Thai, Sukhumpong and outgoing deputy agriculture minister Theerachai Saenkaew from People Power.

Somchai thanked the ministers for working with him and hoped they could work together again in the future.

"I won't go anywhere. I'll be around. If you want me to do anything for you, please let me know," Somchai said.

The ministers then said that they would stick together.

During a flight back from Chiang Mai, the ministers agreed that the new prime minister could not be anyone but Chalerm Yoobamrung.

Government chief whip Wittaya Buranasiri said the MPs would ask Chai to convene the House according to the charter. However, no date has been set.

A new prime minister could be selected only after the PPP MPs move to the Puea Thai Party.

Matchima Thipataya legal team member Chatchai Chookaew said yesterday the party had decided to stay with the same coalition parties.

It currently has 11 MPs. None of them is a party executive.

"The party felt that it was being forced to take sides when it did not want to," he said. "The Constitution Court's ruling destroyed politics and weakened political parties."

Now, nobody wants to be a party executive. Political party executives are those without real decision-making power in the party, he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul, who is serving as acting prime minister, will call a special Cabinet meeting today at the Civil Service Commission office in Nonthaburi to appoint the official caretaker PM, Government Spokesman Natthawut Sai-kua said. The official caretaker PM will lead the Cabinet members to the royal audience on the eve of His Majesty the King's birthday.

Somchai and his Cabinet yesterday were not in a position to attend the annual military parade at the Royal Plaza.