Ex-PM warns red shirts against putting pressure to dissolve Democrat Party
Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai yesterday urged the Election Commission not to be influenced by intimidation or pressure in deciding whether to pursue the "illegal-donation" case against the ruling party.
He also warned the red shirts not to pressure and interfere in the EC's investigation into the allegation that the Democrat Party received a Bt258-million illegal donation paid out by TPI Polene.
Chuan condemned the red shirts' latest move to intimidate the EC's members that if they rule to drop the allegation and not to disband the Democrat Party, they would burn down their houses or the commission's offices.
The red shirts have been accusing the EC of double standards after the political-party registrar, who is the EC chairman, decided in favour of dropping the party-dissolution case against the Democrat Party.
The EC members have asked the political registrar to review his decision.
"They [red shirts] should carefully think about the term 'the same standard'. It does not mean that if one party is dissolved, then another party must be dissolved. A double standard can be applied only if the two parties commit the same offence, but one party is dissolved and the other is not,'' Chuan said.
He said what the Democrat Party had done was different from the Thai Rak Thai Party and the People Power Party's actions - which led to their dissolution - and the EC has to decide whether the Democrats deserve to be disbanded for what they did.
"All parties and the media must allow the EC to make the decision. The EC should not be pressured or intimidated into making the decision,'' he said.
The red shirts have also accused the EC of delaying the decision, saying the agency has taken more than eight months and still not reached a conclusion.
Chuan said the legal process involved in hearing a party-dissolution case is lengthy and does not end with the EC. The case has to go through public prosecutors and judges.
"Anyone issuing an unjust verdict or decision must be held responsible. They should hand down the verdict without fear of threat or pressure. I believe the EC members are not fearful of pressure,'' he said.
He said the red shirts could incite violence over this issue, but he did not believe the Thai people would agree with such a course of action.
"The country has law and order and the government must ensure that it can rule with law, punish those who commit an offence and protect those who need protection,'' he said.
Chuan added that he had advised Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban to make sure police strictly carry out their duties to enforce the law and regulations.
"Some officials who side with a certain camp are afraid to honour their duty. They must respect their job and uphold their responsibility,'' he said.
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