2011-02-24 21:31

BANGKOK - The seven "red-shirt" leaders released from jail earlier this week planned to run in the next general election, one of them said on Thursday.

They planned to run under the banner of the opposition Puea Thai Party, Kwanchai Sarakham, was quoted as saying by the English- language Bangkok Post online.

Kwanchai and six other leaders of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and one supporter were released on bail by the criminal court in Bangkok on Tuesday after being detained at a Bangkok remand prison for nine months on terrorism charges.

He said the UDD leaders agreed to run in the next election during their detention.

Kwanchai also said the leaders planned to attend an UDD rally in Bangkok on March 12.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has said a fresh election could be called as soon as in June, but has never given any specific date yet.

The UDD leaders had been detained for their role in weeks-long protests last year, ended with a bloody military crackdown on May 19.