Former energy minister, Mr. Piyasvasti Amranand, has emerged as top candidate to head the state airliner Thai Airways International Plc after political conflict dissolved, according to people involved in the matter.

The news source said the appointment has been procrastinated for almost full five months and just re-begins after the formers ruling party Pheuthai agreed to step back and give way for the new ruling party Democrat to set up the firm’s management.

Mr. Piyasvasti is publicly known to have close tie with the Democrat party. He was installed as an energy minister by the military in a coup d’etat late in 2006 that deposed ex-prime minister and political fugitive Mr. Thanksin Shinnawatra.

Mr. Piyasvasti currently is working as top management at Thailand’s leading lender Kasikorn Bank.

He’s on and off an openly commentator on government’s energy policy.

The board of Thai Airways said Mr. Piyasavasti’s prominent experiences in energy and financial management makes him the most interesting candidate above rivals.

Board of Thai airways currently have eleven candidates on the list and the finalize process for the new chairman appointment has been extended to until June 22, 2009.