THE DAUGHTER and political heir of the late former prime minister Banharn Silpa-archa yesterday said the Chat Thai Pattana Party her father led will be maintained and she will continue his mission.

In her first interview since her father’s death last week following an asthma attack, Kanchana Silpa-archa said she and her younger brother Warawut Silpa-archa would look after Banharn’s colleagues and the public on behalf of their father.

A Chat Thai Pattana source said the party would nominate Warawut and Nikorn Chamnong, director of the party’s executive board, to pick a new leader to replace Theera Wongsamut.

The source said Chat Thai Pattana adviser Somsak Prissanananthakul, a significant player in the party, would not be nominated because of his lack of qualifications.

He is also on trial for alleged assets concealment at the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders.

The meeting to replace Theera will be held once the National Council for Peace and Order revokes its ban on political parties, the source said.

A former Chat Thai MP for Suphan Buri, Kanchana was deputy education minister in 1999 in the Chuan Leekpai government.

Warawut, who has also served |as a Chat Thai MP several times, |was deputy transport minister during the Somchai Wongsawat government.

Kanchana said the party would not “abandon anyone”.

She said that given the sud-|denness of her father’s death, he did not leave orders for the future. “We were not prepared but there were many things he wanted to do,” she said.

She said it was not the right time to speak about continuing the work of Chat Thai Pattana because of the ban on political activities.

“My decision on the party’s future will reflect my status as a child who will work for my father and the country and continue my father’s intention to contribute to the country.

The Chat Thai Pattana Party will be maintained but we cannot carry out any activity,” she said.

She added that she would follow her father’s decision to accept the charter draft as he had wished to see a speedy election.

She also downplayed reports that her father’s trip to the hospital following his asthma attack had been delayed, saying she did not believe that was the case.

Somsak has said Chat Thai Pattana leaders would meet to discuss the future of the party and he believed they would continue to maintain it.

“Banharn loved the party and he devoted his life to the party,” he said. “We all know his intentions. I personally believe party leaders will keep the party. It now depends if all party leaders see it the same way.”

Somsak said the party had suffered a great loss with the passing of Banharn. “He stood out as party leader. His experience and decisiveness is incomparable,” he said.

The party source said Warawut also had announced he would continue his father’s mission.

The party is expected to pick him to replace Theera, the source said.

The party will probably appoint a Suphan Buri MP such as Prapat Pothasuthon or Jongchai Thiengtham as its chief adviser in an attempt to restore its popularity in Suphan Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Sing Buri, Lop Buri and Sara Buri, the source said.

In recent elections, Pheu Thai Party won seats in these provinces that had earlier been held by Chat Thai Pattana.