Ly Thuch, lawmaker from the co- ruling Funcinpec Party and senior minister in charge of disaster management, has defected to the ruling Cambodian People's Party ( CPP), an official said here on Thursday.

"It is his right to join other party," said Funcinpec spokesman Nov Sowathearo, adding that the party hasn't discussed his quit yet.

However, it will bear no impact on the party during the next general election in 2008, he said.

Ly Thuch said in a letter for party president Keo Puth Rasmey that he was so busy with the work in the present government that he had to resign from Funcinpec.

During Cambodia's commune councils election held on April 1, CPP continued to retain its dominance in the local governments, while Funcinpec was encountered with a heavy loss and degraded from the second to the fourth largest party of the kingdom.

Source: Xinhua