Priewpan and classmates of thaksin to join Pheu Thai today

Prompong said Priewpan called him on Saturday, expressing his wish to join the party.
Prompong said no one had instructed the party to accept Priewpan, a former brother-in-law of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, into the fold.
But given Priewpan had been police commissioner he would be qualified to hold any position, even as party leader or a member of Cabinet, Prompong said. He said the party had yet to discuss an appropriate position for Priewpan.
He said the party did not fear criticism that another member of Thaksin’s family would join Pheu Thai as they had a transparent management system.
Prompong said Priewpan would register his membership at 1.30pm at the party’s head office and caretaker leader Viroj Pao-in would receive him.
Apart from the ex-police chief, 23 former police and military officers – classmates of Thaksin from Class 10 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School – would also apply to be Pheu Thai members today, Prompong said.
They include Adm Rungrat Boonyaratphan, former deputy permanent secretary for Defence, Gen Apichart Timsuwan, former director of the National Defence Centre, Pol Lt Gen Thanakorn Siri-at, former commissioner of the Special Branch Police, and Gen Sahachart Pipitkul, former Army Medical Department chief.
In another development, Bhum Jai Thai Party yesterday elected Anuthin Chanweerakul as the new party leader after his father, Chaowarat, resigned.
Chaowarat’s resignation prompted Bhum Jai Thai to hold a party caucus to elect a new executive board.
The party took about an hour to elect a new nine-member board. Other new executives include Boonjong Wongtrairat as first deputy leader, Prachak Kaewklahan as second deputy leader, Saksayam Chidchob as party secretary-general, Supachai Jaisamut as deputy secretary-general and Supamas Issarapakdee as party spokeswoman.
Rangsikorn Thimatrueka was elected as party registrar and Sora-at Klinprathoom picked as party chief adviser.
Somsak Thepsutin, leader of the Matchima faction, and seven MPs from his group, did not attend the caucus. Newin Chidchob, a strong man of the party, did not turn up either.
After he won the leadership, Anuthin rushed to hug his father and Chai Chidchob, a senior party member.
Anuthin said he would not disappoint members who elected him and would work for the party to pursue its ideology of protecting the monarchy and pushing for national reconciliation and unity.
He said he had no problem with the Matchima group, which still works with other factions in the Bhum Jai Thai.
Anuthin said Bhum Jai Thai was not on the decline, as seen by some, because the party now has 34 MPs, compared to 21 when it was formed.