Thach Reng has formed his own party for the upcoming elections, but said the party doesn’t signify a major break from the Son Sann faction of the split Buddhist Liberal Democrat Party.
“The creation of my own party that is apart from the Son Sann party is not a big split,” he said Tuesday. “Such a creation is to win registration for the polls because Son Sann-BLDP has a court problem and the new Son Sann Party has been in limbo.”
The outspoken parliamentarian was the only lawmaker to vote against stripping Prince Norodom Ranariddh of his immunity last summer.
Thach Reng said the name of his party is the “Light of Liberty of Mr Thach Reng.” He said he was appointed as party leader Sunday.
Son Sann is fighting over the BLDP name with a rival faction headed by Ieng Mouly, the Information Minister. In response, Son Sann recently created the Son Sann Party, headed by his son, Son Soubert.
