Thailand's former opposition Democrat Party and four former coalition parties announced on Saturday that they would form a coalition government which holds at least 250 MPs and will support Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as the new prime minister.

At a press conference in Bangkok in the evening, Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban announced the formation of a new coalition. Also present were representatives from the former Chart Thai and Matchima Tipataya, both just recently disbanded, Ruamjai Thai Chart Pattana, Puea Pandin and the "Friends of Newin" faction, a defector group from the former ruling People Power Party (PPP).

Sanan Kachornprasart, caretaker deputy prime minister who represented the Chart Thai, said the coalition of the defunct PPP could not run the country so the Chart Thai decided to switch side for the sake of the country.

Sanan said the Chart Thai made a decision to switch side from the PPP partners to form a coalition with the Democrat in response to "calls from all walks of life" in order to tackle the divisiveness among Thais and economic woes.

All other representatives of the joining parties explained that they have switched side as "the best way" out of the country's current crisis.

Boonjong Wongtrairat, a representative of the "Friends of Newin " faction, a group of MPs loyal to Newin Chidchob, banned executive of the former ruling Thai Rak Thai party, read from a prepared statement that MPs of his group would vote for Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as the next prime minister before deciding to join a new party later.

Suthep said that all the parties were forming the coalition " not for personal or vested interests," but to cooperate to solve the country's problems."

The PPP, before the looming disbandment verdict, had registered a new Puea Thai Party, which many former PPP have joined.

Also on Saturday, a group of leading members of the Puea Thai Party held a press conference to announce that it could still contest against the Democrat to form a coalition government.

Deputy House Speaker Apiwan Wiriyachai, seen as a leading contestant to become the PM candidate from the former PPP side, told the press conference that his group was informed by members of the Friends of Newin faction and by Chart Thai leader Banharn Silapa-Archa that they would still support the Puea Thai to form a new coalition.

The PPP, Chart Thai and Matchima Tipataya parties, all in the former six-party coalition government led by the PPP since its first formation in February, were altogether disbanded on electoral fraud charges by the Constitution Court on last Tuesday. All executives of the three disbanded parties were banned from electoral process for five years as punishment. Somchai Wongsawat, as PPP's acting leader, was disqualified as prime minister immediately.

A new PM must be elected in a special parliamentary session expected on Monday to form a new government.

The 480-seat House of Representatives has 441 active MPs after some executives MP of three disbanded parties were disqualified. The non-executives MPs have 60 days after the party disbandment to switch to another party in order to stay in post.

Among the 441, 213 are from the now defunct PPP. The Democrat Party, formerly the only opposition party in the House, has 166 seats. The laws require that a party or coalition of parties must enjoy a simple majority of the House seats to form a government.

The conflicting information from each side has added unclearness as to which side will get to form the new coalition government and produce a new PM.

The pro-government Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship ( DAAD), or so-called "red-shirt group", called off its plans to rally in front of the parliament on Sunday and Monday, awaiting to see who will be the next prime minister.

(Xinhua News Agency December 7, 2008)