on 12 September 2008. People Power Party's deputy spokesman Kuthep Suthin Klangsang, on 12 September 2008, announced that: "Samak has accepted his nomination for prime minister. Samak said he is confident that parliament will find him fit for office, and that he is happy to accept the post. A majority of party members voted Thursday to reappoint Samak. Samak is the leader of our party so he is the best choice." Despite objections from its coalition partners, the PPP, in an urgent meeting, unanimously decided to renominate Samak Sundaravej. 5 coalition parties, namely Chart Thai, Matchima Thipataya, Pracharaj, Puea Pandin and Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana, unanimously agreed to support the People Power party (PPP) to set up the new government and vote for the person who should be nominated as the new prime minister. Chart Thai deputy leader Somsak Prissananantakul and Ruam Jai Thai Chart Pattana leader Chettha Thanajaro said the next prime minister who will be nominated on Friday. Caretaker prime minister Somchai Wongsawat said PPP secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee will notify the 5 parties who the PPP nominates to take office again. Some lawmakers, however, said they will propose an alternate candidate. Meanwhile, Thailand's army chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda said he backed the creation of a unity government that would include all the country's parties, and he also asked for the lifting of a state of emergency that Samak imposed on 2 September. The legal reasoning of the decision was also discussed in a Harvard Law School dissertation a full copy of which is available to the public. Disapproval of Samak On 12 September 2008, however, the Isan faction of People Power Party (PPP) and the coalition parties boycotted the vote on a new Prime Minister, resulting in a lack of quorum and subsequent postponement of the vote. The boycott was a sign of the depth of ill-feeling towards Samak from both his own party's members and coalition parties. Finally Samak gave up his re-election bid, allowing his party to choose new a nominee. The majority of his party and the coalition partners eventually voted for Somchai Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister, to be the new premier. Political profile Member of Democrat Party (1968–1976) Member of Parliament (1973–1975, 1976, 1979–1983, 1986–1990, 1992–2000, 2008) Founder and Leader of Prachakorn Thai Party (Thai Citizens' Party) (1979–2000) Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives (1975) Deputy Minister of Interior (1976) Minister of Interior