Ruam Palang Prachachart Thai party founder Suthep Thuagsuban has hit out at Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva by asking whether the latter, to fulfil his ambition to be the next prime minister, has taken sides with fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

This taunt from Suthep, former secretary-general of the Democrat party, followed Abhisit’s statement on Sunday that he would not support General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s return as the post-election prime minister.

An apparently fractious Suthep claimed he was instrumental in Abhisit  becoming prime minister of Thailand in 2008, saying “Abhisit became prime minister because of me.  Without me, he would not have become (prime minister) even in the next life,” at a campaign rally in the Takua Pa district of the southern province of Phang-nga on Sunday. “Does this mean Abhisit has taken the side of Thaksin?  Does it mean Abhisit will accept an offer if the Thaksin’s camp throws its support behind him as the next prime minister?  Is he so desperate to become prime minister?” Suthep asked.

Suthep and some other MPs quit the Democrat party to form the anti-Thaksin movement, called the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, to lead mass protests against the government of prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra in 2011/12.

Pro-junta Palang Pracharat party’s election chief for Thailand’s Northeast, Mr. Suriya Juangroongroangkit, said the Democrat party’s rejection of General Prayut means that the March 24thelection will be a three-horse contest between the pro-Thaksin camp, led by the Pheu Thai party, the pro-junta camp led by Palang Pracharat party and the Democrat camp.