Thai ruling coalition begins search for new PM

Key officials in Thailand's ruling coalition huddled behind closed doors yesterday to agree a replacement for Samak Sundaravej, who withdrew his bid for a new term as prime minister after an internal party revolt.

Samak's People Power Party (PPP), the biggest in the six-member coalition, vowed to nominate one of its own for the premiership, resuming a collision course with anti-government protesters who pledge to oppose any PPP candidate.

"Will the next prime minister come from the PPP? Absolutely. Absolutely. We will propose someone that everyone can accept and the coalition can accept," chief party spokesman Kudeb Saikrachang told Reuters.

He said the top three candidates ahead of Wednesday's parliamentary vote were acting Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, Finance Minister and PPP Secretary-General Surapong Suebwonglee, and Justice Minister Sompong Amornwiwat.

The Constitutional Court sacked Samak last Tuesday, finding him guilty of conflict of interest for hosting television cooking shows while in office.

While the ruling removed Samak, it did not ban him from making a comeback which he had planned to do in a parliamentary vote on Friday.