Classmates of Thaksin sign on with Puea Thai

       More than 50 former classmates of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra have officially joined the opposition Puea Thai Party, a source says.
       The move is viewed as a joining of forces of military officers whose careers were doomed by the Sept 19,2006, coup.
       The 50 former classmates from Class 10 of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School who formally enrolled as Puea Thai members have just retired from military service.
       A Puea Thai source said the classmates' membership of the party was expected to scotch allegations that Thaksin was the party's main backer and that Puea Thai was not loyal to the monarchy.
       Members of the armed forces take an oath of allegiance to the monarchy.
       Most Class 10 members rose quickly through the military ranks while Thaksin was in power. However, the Sept 19 coup drew a cloud over their careers.
       Many of them were sidelined or transferred to inactive posts after the putsch.
       The source said the generals would also help the party to monitor the armed forces. Most of them are reported to be at odds with army chief Anupong Paojinda.
       The group of 50 is led by ACM Sumet Phomanee, former commander of the air force's Security Force Command. He reportedly recently flew to meet with Thaksin in Dubai.
       ACM Sumet said the Class 10 members would help improve relations between Puea Thai and the military.
       He said other Class 10 members who were still in the forces would likely join Puea Thai once they retired.
       Another Class 10 member, Gen Amnuay Thirachunha, said his group would help to strengthen Puea Thai as all its members had been senior military officers who have proven their loyalty to the country and the monarchy.
       However, Gen Amnuay said Class 10 members would keep a distance from the pro-Thaksin red shirt movement.
       Puea Thai member Panlop Pinmanee,a member of Class 7 at the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy, said the fact that more than 50 retired military officers had joined the opposition party had proven Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda wrong.
       The general referred to comments made by Gen Prem to the media last week when he said he had sent a man to warn former prime minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to think carefully before joining Puea Thai as it could be interpreted as a betrayal of the country.
       Gen Panlop said the former senior military officers now with Puea Thai had risked their lives for the country and the monarchy.
       Gen Chavalit, now chairman of Puea Thai, said his ability to help the country would prove his worth.
       A Puea Thai source said parliament would be dissolved soon as the government had failed to amend the 2007 constitution. The coalition would also be overwhelmed by corruption problems.