ID :
132781
Tue, 07/13/2010 - 19:29
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/132781
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Prosecutors seek dissolution of oldest Thai political party; PM: reassures no House dissolution
BANGKOK, July 13 - Thailand's Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) on Tuesday submitted piles of documents to the Constitution Court seeking a dissolution of the ruling Democrat Party, the country's oldest political party and a five-year ban from political life for its 40 executives -- including the prime minister -- following allegations that it received unlawful donations.
The court is expected to take months to examine 9,678-page report before delivering a final ruling.
If and when found guilty, the 64-year-old party will be disbanded and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will be removed from office immediately.
In the suit filed by the attorney-general, the ruling party is accused of violating the Constitution by receiving a Bt258 million donation ($8 million) , exceeding the legal limit, from TPI Polene, one of the country's leading cement manufacturers.
The ruling party has also been accused of misusing its Bt29 million
($800,000) allocation from the Election Commission (EC) political party development fund.
The EC resolved to dissolve the party, saying the two actions should be considered as concealed acts which violate the Political Party Act. It then forwarded the case to the Office of the Attorney-General for its consideration before submitting it to the court.
If the court rules to dissolve the party, over 40 party executives holding office during 2004 and 2005 could be banned from politics for five years.
Among those is Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva who was deputy party
leader in 2004.
Speaking to journalists at Government House following the prosecutors'
move, the prime minister, also a party leader, emphasised that it was not necessary to dissolve the House of Representatives or to make any political decision for possible Democrat party dissolution. He added that it was too early to conclude how the case could have any political implication.
"Everything will be based on facts and we will fight with the truth," Mr Abhisit said. "No matter what the court ruling is, we will respect its final decision."
The party was founded on April 6, 1946. (MCOT online news)
The court is expected to take months to examine 9,678-page report before delivering a final ruling.
If and when found guilty, the 64-year-old party will be disbanded and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will be removed from office immediately.
In the suit filed by the attorney-general, the ruling party is accused of violating the Constitution by receiving a Bt258 million donation ($8 million) , exceeding the legal limit, from TPI Polene, one of the country's leading cement manufacturers.
The ruling party has also been accused of misusing its Bt29 million
($800,000) allocation from the Election Commission (EC) political party development fund.
The EC resolved to dissolve the party, saying the two actions should be considered as concealed acts which violate the Political Party Act. It then forwarded the case to the Office of the Attorney-General for its consideration before submitting it to the court.
If the court rules to dissolve the party, over 40 party executives holding office during 2004 and 2005 could be banned from politics for five years.
Among those is Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva who was deputy party
leader in 2004.
Speaking to journalists at Government House following the prosecutors'
move, the prime minister, also a party leader, emphasised that it was not necessary to dissolve the House of Representatives or to make any political decision for possible Democrat party dissolution. He added that it was too early to conclude how the case could have any political implication.
"Everything will be based on facts and we will fight with the truth," Mr Abhisit said. "No matter what the court ruling is, we will respect its final decision."
The party was founded on April 6, 1946. (MCOT online news)
