AP , ▁he ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁decl ining ▁party ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁Member ▁of ▁Th ak sin ▁government ▁ ▁He ▁intended ▁to ▁found ▁a ▁new ▁party ▁of ▁his ▁own , ▁but ▁given ▁the ▁difficulties ▁under ▁Th ai ▁party ▁law , ▁he ▁instead ▁joined ▁the ▁relatively ▁new ▁Th ai ▁Rak ▁Th ai ▁Party ▁( TR T ) ▁of ▁tele communic ations ▁ty co on ▁Th ak sin ▁Sh ina w atra ▁shortly ▁ahead ▁of ▁its ▁lands lide ▁success ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁general ▁election . ▁He ▁immediately ▁became ▁a ▁deput y ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁party . ▁In ▁Th ak sin ' s ▁cabin ets ▁he ▁success ively ▁served ▁in ▁different ▁positions . ▁First ▁he ▁was ▁Minister ▁to ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁In ▁this ▁position ▁he ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁political ▁decent ral isation , ▁b ureau cr atic ▁reform ▁and ▁energy ▁policy . ▁By ▁propos ing ▁a ▁decent ral isation ▁of ▁re venue ▁collection ▁on ▁a ▁local ▁level ▁and ▁direct ▁election ▁of ▁the ▁chief s ▁of ▁local ▁administration , ▁he ▁took ▁on ▁conserv ative ▁b ureau cr ats ▁in ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Inter ior , ▁but ▁also ▁s cept ic ▁members ▁of ▁TR T , ▁and ▁even ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁who ▁fav oured ▁a ▁more ▁central ist ▁leadership . ▁As ▁the ▁cabinet ' s ▁representative ▁in ▁the ▁Energy ▁Policy ▁Committee , ▁he ▁inter fer ed ▁with ▁the ▁state - owned