From AFP:

The political wing of Thailand’s pro-royalist “Yellow Shirt” protest movement appointed a new leader on Saturday as the party gears up for a general election expected next year.

The New Politics party backed Somsak Kosaisuk, a former leader of the powerful Yellow Shirt group, whose protests helped to topple two governments allied to fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

“We will discuss how to make our party a truly mass party and our place in Thai politics, as well as to map out our strategy for the next election,” Suriyasai Katasila, the party’s secretary-general told reporters.

I’d be interested to hear from any readers who have informed opinions about the implications of this. I seem to recall that in a poll of party members taken last year about possible leaders, Somsak rated far below others in the gang of five.