Abhisit denies trying to subvert PPP attempts to form a govt

Abhisit denies trying to subvert PPP attempts to form a govt

PRADIT RUANGDIT

Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday his party has not made any move to compete with the rival People Power party (PPP) in forming a new coalition government.

''Let me assure you that the Democrat party has not struck a deal to form a government as we have not held talks with other political parties over cabinet posts,'' he said.

The Democrats yesterday held a seminar attended by the party's newly-elected MPs endorsed by the Election Commission (EC) at a Bangkok hotel. Mr Abhisit said the party would let the PPP, which won the most seats in the Dec 23 general election, form a government. The Democrats were willing to work as the opposition party, he said.

But if the PPP failed to gain support from other parties to form a coalition, the Democrats would step in and put together a government, he said.

He said the outcome of last month's proportional representation vote was strange as the two major parties _ the PPP and the Democrats _ won about 12 million votes each.

What sets them apart is that one party seeks the return of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, while the other wants an honest government, he said.

The Democrats would remain in touch with the Chart Thai party, its former ally in opposition to the Thai Rak Thai government, which has announced plans to join a PPP-led coalition.

Mr Abhisit said that although the first meeting of the Lower House must be held within 30 days of the election and at least 95% of the elected MPs must attend the first session, it did not mean that the EC had to rush into endorsing poll winners suspected of cheating.