The Action Coalition for Thailand Party (ACT) which has former anti-Thaksin protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban as its de facto leader is throwing full support behind Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to return as prime minister after the March-24 election.

Suthep told ThaiPBS World in an interview on Tuesday that the party has confidence in Gen Prayut as a leader in carrying out necessary reforms and tackling economic problems facing the country.

“I can say with certainty that Gen Prayut will be prime minister after the election,” Suthep declared in the interview during his campaign visit to Nonthaburi.

Suthep was warmly greeted by people in the popular Parkkred market despite the fact that the area is known to be a hotbed of the so-called “red shirt” supporters closely linked to the pro-Thaksin camp.

Suthep admitted that Gen Prayut has the advantage of having the expected support from members of the Senate who will have a say in picking the next prime minister.

Suthep, who is a founder of the party but holds no official position, has been hitting the campaign trail nation-wide for the past several weeks trying to drum up support for its candidates.

He also ruled out any possibility of reconciling with the pro-Thaksin camp.   “Our fight against Thaksin and his clique is not over. We fought them on the streets and now we are going to fight them within the parliament system,” he said.

Suthep led the months-long street protest under the banner of “People’s Democratic Reform Committee” that eventually paved the way for the military to oust the Yingluck government in a coup in 2014.

(Interview with Suthep will be aired on Thai PBS at 9.30pm Wednesday night)