If everything goes as planned, a delegation of just-retired genenerals should arrive in Dubai on Oct 21 to meet Thaksin Shinawatr: The mission? Boost the ranks of Pheau Thai Party in preparation for the upcoming election.

The group held a gathering Saturday evening to discuss their "political strategy" to help get Thaksin back to power.

The leader of the group is Air Chief Marshal Sumet Pohmani, who retired on Sept 30, this year, having openly identified himself with Thaksin all along.

He revealed in a radio interview over the weekend that about 20-30 military officers -- all Thaksin's former classmates -- will be joining the party to "help the country in our own way."

ACM Sumet has emerged as one of Thaksin's right-hand men, heading the military faction in a new political line-up.

It's not clear whether Thaksin's former Military Cadets College class-mates could get along with Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, the newly-named Pheau Thai's chairman.

Sumet would only say that Gen Chavalit's mission is to seek national reconciliation.

Sumet told Matichon in an interview published this morning that Thaksin had invested Bt 4 billion to set up Thai Rak Thai Party. "It's a risk because he didn't know whether he will get any return on the investment."

He said Thaksin could have spent less money by making donations to the various political parties  instead of plunging into politics himself.

"But Thaksin decided to set up the party because a very senior puuyai  -- he never told me who he was -- had asked him to set up the party to help the country. He could have handed out donations to various parties like what the big corporations were doing...." Sumet said.

He added: "Thaksin was targetted because some of the big businesses wanted to give him money but he turned them down. They got suspicious and that's why they ganged up on him...."

If you hadn't heard of this theory behind Thaksin's "sacrifices for the country before," please get enlightened now.