Thai Rak Thai Party
For the election in 2001, he changed to the Thai Rak Thai Party (TRT) of Thaksin Shinawatra. Sanoh was made chief adviser of the party. He was not given a government office, but his wife Uraiwan was appointed minister. Alternately, she led the Ministries of Culture and Labour. Inside the Thai Rak Thai Party, Sanoh led a faction called the "Wang Nam Yen group", named after Sanoh's home district. In 2004, around 70 MPs, mainly from the Northeastern region were affiliated with this group.