Thamanat Prompow and his followers will find a new home with the Thai Economic Party, after being booted out of the Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP), according to his close aide.
The expelled former PPRP secretary-general did not say where he would move to in a video posted on Thursday after he and a 20-member faction of MPs were ousted from the ruling party on Wednesday.
"Everybody will know when I am introduced to a 'new home,'" he said.
But one of his close followers, Phai Lik, said on his Facebook account on Thursday night that they would join the Thai Economic Party. The faction had already been in talks with the party leadership, according to Mr Phai, who is an MP for Kamphaeng Phet.
The Thai Economic Party was formed in April 2020, with Ratchanee Sivavej as acting leader, according to the Election Commission. It has about 8,700 members nationwide and no MPs.
Even with the exit of the 21-member Thamanat faction, the coalition led by the PPRP still has a comfortable majority in the 500-member House, with 246 seats. The opposition led by Pheu Thai has 209 seats and 24 seats are vacant.
Capt Thamanat and his followers have 30 days to apply to join another party if they want to retain their MP status.
Capt Thamanat said he had left the PPRP with no hard feelings after they were shown the door, but refused to give further details. PPRP deputy leader Paiboon Nititawan on Thursday said the expelled secretary-general had demanded substantial changes which were unacceptable.
"We could not do all we wanted to do at the 'old home,''' Capt Thamanat said.
"I am a straightforward person and many in the PPRP do not like that," he added.
The Phayao MP said he was worried about other MPs in the PPRP, now he was not there to support them.
"Most MPs visiting constituents were given support by me. Eighty percent of the support was from the party leader and me," he claimed.
Capt Thamanat is believed to be close to PPRP leader Prawit Wongsuwon.
