ID :
151540
Sun, 11/28/2010 - 20:39
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/151540
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Democrats stress innocence over charges of misusing campaign funds
BANGKOK, Nov 28 -- Thailand’s ruling Democrat Party stressed its innocence regarding charges of misusing campaign funds as the closing statements are scheduled on Monday, a senior member of the party said.
Suthat Ngernmeun, advisory board member of the Democrat Party, said after a meeting of legal experts of the party ended that the party has assigned Chuan Leekpai, chairman of the advisory board, to deliver a closing statement on Monday when the Constitution Court judges meet to decide whether the Democrat Party misused Bt29 million in political campaign funding allocated by the Election Commission (EC) prior to the April 2005 election.
Mr Chuan, a former prime minister, will defend the charges during his 30-minute closing statement, Mr Suthat said.
It is expected that the Constitution Court may hand out its verdict after closing statements are given by both sides.
The Democrat Party will contest the charges saying that charges for the dissolution of the party is against the law and that spending by the party fell on which Political Act – either the now defunct 1998 or the present 2007 act – which must be debated, Mr Suthat said.
He added the party had spent the funds on projects which had been approved and the party had reported its spending accurately.
Under the current constitution, senior leaders, including party leader Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, could be banned from politics for five years if the party is found guilty. Mr Abhisit was a deputy leader of the party at that time.
In a bid to cool down anxieties among investors on prevailing political tensions in Thailand, Director Thanawat Palavichai of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Economic and Business Forecasting Centre, said if the Democrat party is dissolved by the Constitution Court there would be a “political vacuum” which could last between six to nine months.
“The political vacuum will affect the national economy during the first half of 2011 as foreign investors would slow down investment in this country while the people would curtail consumption as they await a new government to be formed,” Dr Thanawat said.
However, the overall Thai economy would affect only 0.5 per cent of the gross domestic product because its fundamentals including exports and tourism are still strong, Dr Thanawat added. (MCOT online news)
Suthat Ngernmeun, advisory board member of the Democrat Party, said after a meeting of legal experts of the party ended that the party has assigned Chuan Leekpai, chairman of the advisory board, to deliver a closing statement on Monday when the Constitution Court judges meet to decide whether the Democrat Party misused Bt29 million in political campaign funding allocated by the Election Commission (EC) prior to the April 2005 election.
Mr Chuan, a former prime minister, will defend the charges during his 30-minute closing statement, Mr Suthat said.
It is expected that the Constitution Court may hand out its verdict after closing statements are given by both sides.
The Democrat Party will contest the charges saying that charges for the dissolution of the party is against the law and that spending by the party fell on which Political Act – either the now defunct 1998 or the present 2007 act – which must be debated, Mr Suthat said.
He added the party had spent the funds on projects which had been approved and the party had reported its spending accurately.
Under the current constitution, senior leaders, including party leader Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, could be banned from politics for five years if the party is found guilty. Mr Abhisit was a deputy leader of the party at that time.
In a bid to cool down anxieties among investors on prevailing political tensions in Thailand, Director Thanawat Palavichai of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce’s Economic and Business Forecasting Centre, said if the Democrat party is dissolved by the Constitution Court there would be a “political vacuum” which could last between six to nine months.
“The political vacuum will affect the national economy during the first half of 2011 as foreign investors would slow down investment in this country while the people would curtail consumption as they await a new government to be formed,” Dr Thanawat said.
However, the overall Thai economy would affect only 0.5 per cent of the gross domestic product because its fundamentals including exports and tourism are still strong, Dr Thanawat added. (MCOT online news)
