Minister of Public Health Yubamrung Chalerm of Thailand

and a lousy press, the populist Chalerm remains a formidable vote-winner.

Chalerm said he is certain that Banharn is sincere and will not betray the government.

Thailand's new government will revive a controversial war on drugs in which more than 2,500 alleged dealers were killed, Chalerm said on Thursday.

We proposed a condition to the party that if Chalerm is joining he should come alone.

Anek Laothammathat, leader of the Ruam Jai Thai-Chat Pattana group, discounted speculation that Chalerm had gone to London to crack a deal with Thaksin for General Chavalit Yongchaiyuth to defect from his political group to the People Power Party, which is widely thought to be under Thaksins influence.

A source in the PPP faction controlled by Buri Ram politician Newin Chidchob said Mr Chalerm was a strong favourite to succeed Mr Somchai as premier and is a prudent choice to handle the political situation that appears to be turning against MPs of the dissolved PPP.

Nakhon Phanom MP Phaichitr Srivorakhan, leader of the PPP's Isan Pattana faction, said if the party wants to continue to fight, Mr Chalerm has a combative personality that suits the job perfectly.

With Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej also at the centre of the high-profile fire truck fraud, Pol Capt Chalerm was not of a mind to make it too easy for the Bangkok governor - who is also a Democrat deputy leader - to show spirit since that would arouse public expectations regarding the embattled prime minister and other PPP people facing fraud charges.

Mr Chalerm said his first steps would include talks with the governors of the five southern-most provinces, assistant national police chief Pol Lt-Gen Adul Saengsingkaew, chief of the southern police outposts in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces, and the director of the Southern Border Provinces Administration Centre (SBPAC.

It helps that Chalerm is a gushing fan of the leader ("I adore Gen.

Pol Capt Chalerm said that he had requested national police chief Patcharawat Wongsuwan and Metropolitan police chief Aswin Kwanmuana to probe the distribution of video CDs attacking Gen Prem.

Speaking via a radio programme on FM101on Monday morning, Mr Chalerm said he wanted to teach Mr Apirak a lesson that he shouldn’t hold a press conference saying he intends to take leave without having received permission from the Interior Minister first.

Chalerm said at a press conference on Sunday Mr.

Chalerm is not involved in the Nightlife Scene, other than the treachery and murder his sons have brought into his life, it looks as if the race for Governor is going to end up being a real rogues' gallery.

representative in the House of Parliament for 21 years.

city dwellers, and make Bangkok an Asean telecom hub.

relations with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

consider new restrictions on nightlife.

for allegedly forging draft card documents.

office with the New Aspiration Party in Bangkok.

The only thing we know about Ai Joe, if Chalerm is to be trusted, is that he is an acquaintance of Duang, the Interior chiefs son.

Chalerm said Duang and Ai Joe had, over the past five years, established enough rapport to serve as the basis for possible negotiations.

Perhaps Chalerm has something up his sleeve.

The proposal from Chalerm is nothing new.

Chalerm says he will discuss the matter with the Permanent Secretary for Interior and the Director-General of the Department of Provincial Administration to find measures to deal with the possible influx.

Interior Minister Chalerm says further that the Burmese government has not yet officially contacted Thailand to discuss cooperation on assistance for the people who have been affected by the disaster.

Chalerm said Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej will hold an emergency meeting with security officials on Friday following the weekend hotel attack.

Chalerm said that unlike his predecessors, he would not make frequent trips to the Muslim south, saying such trips only spark more violence.

Chalerm said he would ask local officials to consider new restrictions on night life.