More than 100 Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party members, including former deputy prime minister Surakiart Sathirathai, have submitted their resignations to the party, out of fear for being banned from politics for five years if the former ruling party is dissolved under new rulers, Thai media reported Monday.

According to Thai news network The Nation, former deputy prime minister Surakiart, who is bidding for the United Nations secretary-general post, has resigned as member of TRT late September.

Other senior members of the party, including former TRT spokesman Suranand Vejjajiva, deputy TRT leader Sonthaya Kunplome, former party list MP Rungrueng Pittayasiri and senior party advisor Saran Saranket, also resigned their party member status.

Another senior party member Somsak Thepsuthin, one of the party executives, on Monday led his 100-member Wang Nam Yom faction, the largest faction in the party, to submit their resignation as party members.

The party executives decided to resign from the party for fear that they would be prohibited from politics for five years if the party is later dissolved by a new Constitution Tribunal, the Nation said.

A large scale of investigations into the former cabinet and former ruling party TRT under Thaksin Shinawatra are underway since the military seized the power in the Sept. 19 coup. The new Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has vowed on Sunday to clear out the corruption in the nation.