Democrat wins Constitutional Tribunal's unamimous decision

The Constitutional Tribunal agree unanimously that Democrat Party did not violate the election laws. (Details of six allegations inside)


The Tribunal rules that as Democrat Party is not guilty of violating the election laws, so it is not subject to party dissolution.

The nine-member Tribunal ruled 9-0 that Democrat is not guilty.

The Tribunal delivered the sentence after reading the verdict since 2pm.


Senior Democrat party members who sit in the court room seemed to be relieved after the Tribunal read the final verdict.

The nine-member Constitution Tribunal addressed six questions in reaching its decision on the electoral fraud involving the Democrat and Progressive Democratic parties.

The first question - Did the Democrat Party make campaign speeches to frame Thai Rak Thai Party and its leader Thaksin Shinawatra?

Verdict : Acquittal.

The second question - Did the Democrat Party lead three electoral candidates from Progressive Democratic Party to frame the Thai Rak Thai Party for bankrolling them?

Verdict : Acquittal.

The third question - Did the Democrat Party arrange for the leader of the Better Life Party to frame the Thai Rak Thai Party for bankrolling the small party?

Verdict : Acquittal.

The fourth question - Did the Democrat Party try to prevent candidates from small parties from entering the race?

Verdict : Acquittal.

The fifth question - Did the Progressive Democratic Party falsify its membership records to enable its candidates to run in the three Trang constituencies?

Verdict : Guilty

The sixth question - Did the Democrat and Progressive Democratic parties commit wrongdoing that constitutes a cause for disbanding?

Verdict : Acquittal for Democrat/Disbanding Progressive Democratic parties and revoking voting rights of all party executives including those who

The Tribunal clears Democrat and Taikorn from hiring small party and wrongly accusing TRT

The Constitutional Tribunal cleared Democrat's deputy secretary general Thavorn Senniem of obstructing candidates of smaller parties from running in the April election. Trairong Suvannakhiri, party deputy leader, is also found not guilty of involving in the alleged blocking.


The Tribunal ruled that there were no evidence to justify the accusation that Thavorn tried to block Koe Plod Nee Party from running the April election.

The Tribunal also found no evidence to support accusation that Trairong involved in the blockade of candidate registration in Songkla.

Earlier the Tribunal cleared two senior Democrat members of accusations that they involved in hiring smaller parties not to contest in the April 2 election.

They were party spokesman Sathit Wongnongtoey and party's secretary general Suthep Thueksubhan.


Attorney General office had accused both of involving in the hiring of Prachathippatai Kaona party not to run in Phuket in the April election.


However the Tribunal said that after examining the evidence, they found that both did not involve in the accused acts. Both also did not pay money to the smaller party to contest in the election

The Tribunal also said Taikorn Palasuwan, did not hire Wattawit Tantipirom, leader of Better Life Party to wrongly accuse Thai Rak Thai. What Taikorn did was merely seeking evidence.


The Nation

Democrat not guilty of using "Thaksin Regime" in campaign

The Constitutional Tribunal rules as groundless that allegations against Democrat Party's party leader and executive members that they used a clause, "Thaksin Regime" in their campaigns to convince people not to join in the April 2 election.


The tribunal said Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva did not create the clause, "Thaksin Regime," but it has been used by academicians and media for long time.


Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had actually created his unique style of administration and caused divisions among the public.


Therefore, Democrat party did not wrongly accuse Thai Rak Thai and Thaksin by using the clause. The tribunal delivered the verdict on the first accusation after reading the verdict since 2pm.


The Nation

Thai Rak Thai verdict pending

BangkokPost.com
Following a court session lasting more than four hours, judges took a short break before reading their decisions in the Thai Rak Thai cases this evening.

The afternoon session lasted from 1:30 until past 5:30 p.m. Thailand time.

It resulted in the acquittal of the Democrat Party and its officers on all charges. Judges ordered one small party dissolved for cheating in the April 2, 2006, election.

Political analysts said the judges may not follow the Democrat ruling with Thai Rak Thai, and suspense continued.

Before their break, the judges ruled that a law passed last October providing for a five-year political suspension for any party leaders found guilty could be applied.

All 146 members of the former Thai Rak Thai executive council could be set down under that law.