OAG forms panel to handle Democrat dissolution case

BANGKOK, 20 April 2010 (NNT) – The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has established a committee for reviewing the Election Commission (EC)’s resolution to dissolve the Democrat Party, according to Deputy Attorney General Waiyawut Lortrakul.

Mr Waiyawut disclosed today that a working committee would be in charge of handling the case reports and testifying in front of the Constitutional Court. The panel comprises Deputy Attorney General Anuchart Kongmalai as the chairman and five other deputy attorneys general as committee members, namely Mr Thavorn Panichpan, Mr Seema Wankowit, First Lieutenant Manas Ubonthip, Mr Atthapol Yaisawang and Mr Waiyawut himself.

The prosecutor was currently awaiting the case from the EC, said Mr Waiyawut, adding that the panel would be given 30 days to consider the case before presenting it to the Constitutional Court for final ruling. He also said a joint committee between the OAG and the EC might be set up to re-examine the case for final conclusion if the OAG panel deemed the EC’s case insufficient.

The Election Commissioners recently voted 4:1 to disband the ruling Democrat Party on grounds of illegally receiving donations and misusing funds. The party was alleged of receiving donations worth 258 million THB from Thai Petrochemical Industry (TPI) Public Company Limited. The constitution bans political parties from receiving donations of more than 10 million THB annually from individuals or entities. The party was also accused of mishandling a political development fund worth 29 million THB allocated by the EC.