Eighteen MPs booted from the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) have formally applied to join the Setthakij Thai Party (Thai Economic Party), according to the latter group.
A source in parliament said Setthakij Thai wrote to the parliament secretariat office on Jan 26 offering the names of the 18 MPs applying to be its members.
The number dropped from 21 MPs who initially reported to be moving to the new party after they were purged from the PPRP on Jan 19.
The PPRP removed the 21 MPs, including their leader Capt Thamanat Prompow, who served as its secretary-general, after he demanded a radical restructuring of the party and threatened to stir up trouble if his demands were not met, said PPRP deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan.
The three MPs who are not joining Setthakij Thai are Khon Kaen MP Watthana Changlao, Nakhon Ratchasima MP Somsak Panket and list MP…
