Details of massive fraud of Thailand's April 2 general elections
are now emerging as the Chairman of Election Commission (EC) has
flown to Sydney for a "break", leaving the TRT leader Thaksin
Shinawatra alone facing the possible five-year ban from
politics.
The embattled EC on Thursday came under intense pressure after
an investigative panel implicated a major electoral fraud by the
Thai Rak Thai Party that could see the party dissolved and its
leader Thaksin Shinawatra banned from politics for five years.
The EC, in hot water since the Constitution Court nullified the
April 2 snap election earlier this week, now must respond swiftly
to the investigative panel's recommendation that Thaksin be charged
for "hiring" small parties to contest the April 2 vote.
The offense is punishable by the party's dissolution. Article 69
of Thai Constitution also bans executives of the dissolved party
from forming a new party or holding office in another party for
five years.
The panel's report, containing damning details, bank transaction
evidence as well as compelling testimony from witnesses, was
submitted to EC chairman Vasana Puemlarp on Monday. Vasana left for
Sydney, Australia Thursday night, saying he wanted to visit his son
who is studying there. He is scheduled to return on next
Tuesday.
The report contains explicit details about how Thai Rak Thai
leaders allegedly approached the heads of the small parties and
devised a scam to change official information on party membership
registration in order to allow unqualified candidates to run as
Thai Rak Thai "competitors" in the April 2 election. The report
details various occasions when money was paid to the parties'
leaders and the candidates.
Talking to media reporters over the phone, Vasana said he could
not comment as he had not yet read the report. "Please do not ask
me about work. It is not convenient as I am upcountry. Wait till
I'm back at work. I have not read the investigation files," he
said.
Thaksin declined to comment on what has been labelled "TRT
gate".
The panel's findings sent the Thai Rak Thai Party into turmoil.
Deputy spokesman Pimuk Simarot said the findings were just a
preliminary investigation and the EC had yet to further investigate
and conclude the case. Deputy leader General Thamarak Isarangura
and deputy secretary Pongsak Raktapongpaisal, who were implicated
in the alleged fraud, are preparing information to defend the
party.
"Our party is not involved in the allegation," Pimuk said. "The
allegation is directed at individuals. The people accused must
clarify themselves."
EC secretary-general Ekachai Warunprapa asked how the panel's
findings were leaked to the media.
Ekachai said he could not confirm whether what was leaked to the
media was in fact the findings of the panel. The EC is expected to
discuss the case on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the
commissioners must meet and discuss the case as soon as
possible.
(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2006)
