Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha confirmed on Friday that he will join the Ruam Thai Sang Chart (United Thai Nation) Party and expressed his readiness to be a prime ministerial candidate for the party.

Prayut spoke after the coalition leader Palang Pracharath Party, which nominated him at the last general election, said it would put forward party leader Prawit Wongsuwon as its only prime ministerial candidate.

"Today, the Ruam Thai Sang Chart (United Thai Nation, UTN) Party has proposed that it is willing to support me for prime minister at the next election," Prayut said.

"I said earlier that I had previously been supported by the Palang Pracharath Party, but the PPRP has already decided to nominate its party leader as its prime ministerial candidate.

“So, I will make a decision today. I decided to join Ruam Thai Sang Chart," he said.

He went on to say that as a prime minster he had worked continuously. Although his government came initially from a coup and only later from an election, his administration took care of every area and every party.  

He insisted that he had never reaped any profits when administering the country.

Asked whether he had consulted Prawit regarding his plan to join Ruam Thai Sang Chart, Prayut said he had informed the PPRP leader.

He said he had no rift with Prawit and their relationship remained unchanged.

The coming elections are due by May next year.