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116477
Tue, 04/13/2010 - 16:25
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http://m.oananews.org//node/116477
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Thailand’s ruling Democrat Party to fight disbandment
BANGKOK, April 13 (TNA) -- Thailand’s oldest political party, the ruling Democrat Party, is gathering evidence to submit to the Attorney-General's Office, if asked, in an attempt to fight against an Election Commission (EC) ruling to dissolve the party for accepting a constitutionally over-large donation from a private company and the mishandling of funds allocated by the EC, a senior member of Democrat Party said on Tuesday.
Nipit Intharasombat, a Democrat MP representing the southern province of Phatthalung and also chief of the party's party's working committee, said the Democrats do not plan to register another political party in preparation in case they are dissolved following Monday’s EC ruling.
Mr Nipit said the Democrats' legal team will meet next week at latest and gather evidence and submit it to the Attorney-General's Office, if requested. If the agency agrees with the EC ruling, it will forward the issue to the Constitution Court for further action.
He said the cases would be fought in court and no appeal could be made. If the party is dissolved, some senior executives of the party, headed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, would not be allowed to engage in political activities for five consecutive years, according to the constitution.
Established 64 years ago, the party had never considered it might be ordered to disband, he said bitterly.
The EC ruled on Monday that the party should be dissolved for accepting a Bt258 million donation alleged to have been made by the petrochemical firm TPI Polene Plc for the 2005 general election.
TPI Polene was alleged to have made donations to the Democrats through Messiah Business and Creation, an advertising company.
The Democrat Party is also accused of misusing its Bt29 million allocation from the EC's political party development fund. The EC ruled that the two actions of Democrat Party could be considered as concealed acts and violated the Political Party Act.
Somsak Prissanananthakul, an advisory committee member of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, a partner in the coalition government, said it is too early to say that the Democrat Party would be disbanded as the final decision rests with the Constitution Court.
“The Democrat Party is now only being accused,” said Mr Somsak, adding that he believed the ‘Red Shirt’ anti-government protesters would use tactics in pressuring the entire legal process to end as quickly as possible.
‘Red Shirt’ protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship have been rallying in Bangkok for one month as of Tuesday, demanding that Mr Abhisit dissolve the House and call a fresh general election. The protest turned bloody in clashes between the military and the protesters last Saturday.
The emergency services said 21 people were killed and 863 persons, including more than 200 soldiers, were wounded in the day-long confrontation. (TNA)
Nipit Intharasombat, a Democrat MP representing the southern province of Phatthalung and also chief of the party's party's working committee, said the Democrats do not plan to register another political party in preparation in case they are dissolved following Monday’s EC ruling.
Mr Nipit said the Democrats' legal team will meet next week at latest and gather evidence and submit it to the Attorney-General's Office, if requested. If the agency agrees with the EC ruling, it will forward the issue to the Constitution Court for further action.
He said the cases would be fought in court and no appeal could be made. If the party is dissolved, some senior executives of the party, headed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, would not be allowed to engage in political activities for five consecutive years, according to the constitution.
Established 64 years ago, the party had never considered it might be ordered to disband, he said bitterly.
The EC ruled on Monday that the party should be dissolved for accepting a Bt258 million donation alleged to have been made by the petrochemical firm TPI Polene Plc for the 2005 general election.
TPI Polene was alleged to have made donations to the Democrats through Messiah Business and Creation, an advertising company.
The Democrat Party is also accused of misusing its Bt29 million allocation from the EC's political party development fund. The EC ruled that the two actions of Democrat Party could be considered as concealed acts and violated the Political Party Act.
Somsak Prissanananthakul, an advisory committee member of the Chart Thai Pattana Party, a partner in the coalition government, said it is too early to say that the Democrat Party would be disbanded as the final decision rests with the Constitution Court.
“The Democrat Party is now only being accused,” said Mr Somsak, adding that he believed the ‘Red Shirt’ anti-government protesters would use tactics in pressuring the entire legal process to end as quickly as possible.
‘Red Shirt’ protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship have been rallying in Bangkok for one month as of Tuesday, demanding that Mr Abhisit dissolve the House and call a fresh general election. The protest turned bloody in clashes between the military and the protesters last Saturday.
The emergency services said 21 people were killed and 863 persons, including more than 200 soldiers, were wounded in the day-long confrontation. (TNA)
