Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is expected to apply formally for membership of the United Thai Nation Party (Ruam Thai Sang Chart) on Monday January 9th at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre.

Informed party sources said today (Wednesday) that the prime minister had chosen January 9th as an auspicious date to apply for party membership and the party agreed to the convention centre as a grand venue befitting the official presentation of General Prayut as the party’s candidate for the next prime minister.

They added that several MPs who quit Palang Pracharath, the ruling government coalition party, will be at the event to welcome their new party member.

The event will start at about 5pm, after government office hours.

The United Thai Nation Party is led by a former Democrat Pirapan Salirathavibhaga and comprises several former Democrat MPs and key members of the People’s Democrat Reform Committee, led by former Democrat Secretary-General Suthep Thaugsuban, which spearheaded the mass protests against the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in 2014.