Ex-Thai premier to quit leadership
Ex-Thai premier to quit leadership
BANGKOK (Reuters): Former Thai premier Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
will give up next month the leadership of the New Aspiration
Party (NAP) he founded, and may retire from politics in the near
future, party officials said yesterday.
"General Chavalit said he will resign from the position of
party leader on December 22. He is not willing to be reinstated
because he wants to see the party lead by the younger
generation," NAP spokesman Kuthep Saikrajang announced.
Chavalit resigned as premier on Nov. 7 under pressure from the
public, businesspeople and his coalition partners after Thailand
plunged into its worst economic crisis in decades.
Another senior NAP source said Chavalit's resignation as party
leader could be regarded as the first step in his total
retirement from politics.