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| Ousted Thaksin quits Thai party | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Thailand's ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra has resigned as leader of the party he founded and built up, Thai Rak Thai. | |
| He said he had to quit due to "changing circumstances", according to party spokesman Pongthep Thepkanjana. | He said he had to quit due to "changing circumstances", according to party spokesman Pongthep Thepkanjana. |
| Mr Thaksin was deposed in a military coup on 19 September, and is currently living in exile in London. | Mr Thaksin was deposed in a military coup on 19 September, and is currently living in exile in London. |
| Thai Rak Thai - once a seemingly unstoppable force in Thai politics - has been hit by a mass exodus of members since the coup. | Thai Rak Thai - once a seemingly unstoppable force in Thai politics - has been hit by a mass exodus of members since the coup. |
| Mr Thaksin's right-hand man, deputy prime minister Somkid Jatusripitak, resigned earlier on Tuesday - one of more than 100 party members to announce their departure. | Mr Thaksin's right-hand man, deputy prime minister Somkid Jatusripitak, resigned earlier on Tuesday - one of more than 100 party members to announce their departure. |
| Another deputy prime minister, Surakiart Sathirathai - who is a candidate to become UN secretary general - announced his resignation on Monday. | Another deputy prime minister, Surakiart Sathirathai - who is a candidate to become UN secretary general - announced his resignation on Monday. |
| Thai Rak Thai is set to make an announcement later on Tuesday about the party's future. | Thai Rak Thai is set to make an announcement later on Tuesday about the party's future. |
| 'Falling apart' | 'Falling apart' |
| The resignations follow an announcement by the military generals who took over the country last month that members of any party found to have broken electoral laws would be banned from politics for five years. | The resignations follow an announcement by the military generals who took over the country last month that members of any party found to have broken electoral laws would be banned from politics for five years. |
| Thai Rak Thai is currently under scrutiny for alleged violations during a controversial election in April, which was later annulled. | Thai Rak Thai is currently under scrutiny for alleged violations during a controversial election in April, which was later annulled. |
| Mr Thaksin and his close associates already face allegations of corruption, in both business and government projects, and no one is yet sure how far the anti-graft probe will reach. | Mr Thaksin and his close associates already face allegations of corruption, in both business and government projects, and no one is yet sure how far the anti-graft probe will reach. |
| Mr Thaksin was overthrown in a military coupWith former members trying to distance themselves from their once powerful party, correspondents say that Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) is on the verge of falling apart. | |
| "The legacy of the Thai Rak Thai party is over," one of the party's deputy leaders, Pongpol Adireksan, told the Associated Press. | |
| Thai Rak Thai - led and in many ways personified by the flamboyant Mr Thaksin - had been a popular force since it was set up in 1998, drawing widespread support in rural areas. | |
| After the 2005 general election, it held three-quarters of the seats in parliament. | After the 2005 general election, it held three-quarters of the seats in parliament. |
| Despite the many problems facing the party this year - including street protests, the allegations of corruption and even the annulled election - Thai Rak Thai had still been widely expected to win the next elections before the coup took place. | Despite the many problems facing the party this year - including street protests, the allegations of corruption and even the annulled election - Thai Rak Thai had still been widely expected to win the next elections before the coup took place. |
| New Cabinet | |
| Over the weekend, the military generals who took over from Mr Thaksin chose retired General Surayud Chulanont to serve as prime minister until democratic elections are held in October 2007. | |
| They also unveiled an interim constitution, until a new one can be drafted. | |
| Gen Surayud has already started forming his Cabinet, with central bank chief Pridiyathon Devekula agreeing to join in a senior position. | |
| The new Cabinet will be unveiled by the end of this week. |