The Puea Thai Party (PTP), one of Thailand's newest, set up recently to absorb members of parliament (MPs) from the court-dissolved former ruling People Power Party ( PPP) met Sunday, electing Yongyuth Wichaidit as the new party leader.

The meeting was held in an bid to form a new coalition government.

It was earlier speculated that Yinglak Shinawatra, a sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, would be elected as the leader of the reincarnation party of the dissolved PPP.

Three political parties -- the PPP, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya -- were dissolved last Tuesday when the Constitutional Court ruled that they had engaged in fraud in the general election held in December last year. Executives of the three parties, including former premier Somchai, were forced to leave their posts and may not enter politics for five years.

(Xinhua News Agency December 7, 2008)