Date – September 3, 2010

Chaiya Promma, a Puea Thai MP for Nong Bua Lam Phu province, has blamed his party’s disunity as a reason for the recent defection of Puea Thai MPs, while planning to ask the party next week to define a clear strategy and choose a party leader.

Mr. Chaiya said he did not want the people in his party to denounce the Puea Thai MPs who are defecting from the party. He said the party should instead examine itself to find out the reasons of its inability retain the MPs.

He said some of the reasons are the lack of unity within the party and the lack of political activities, which cause the MPs to be easily swayed when they are invited to join another party.

Mr. Chaiya said he will make a proposal on September 6 that the party should clearly define its strategy and activities in the constituencies, while choosing a real party leader who will be nominated as prime minister. He said the MPs should be able to launch activities with their voters within the next six months.

Mr. Chaiya claimed that most of the northeastern MPs agree with his proposal and said if the party does not quickly implement his proposal it would be “everyone for themselves” regarding the ongoing defection.

“I do not guarantee that there will be more MPs defecting from the party or not, because at the moment some northeastern MPs are feeling tempted by the offered government budget,” he said.