Suthep made the allegations on Saturday and held another press conference at the Democrats' head office yesterday so the three witnesses could talk to the press.

The three were identified as Chawakarn Tosawat, a Pattana Chat Thai candidate in Bangkok's Constituency 29; Suksan Chayathet, director of Pattana Chat Thai; and Monthiraphon Pimpchan, Suksan's assistant.

Chawakarn told the press conference he initially accepted Thai Rak Thai's offer to run and to help field other candidates in the April 2 election as it looked like a good opportunity to get into politics. But he later grew worried that his collaboration with certain Thai Rak Thai members was illegal and that he was in danger of being "silenced" by them if he backed out.

Chawakarn admitted he decided to seek help from Suthep after not receiving enough money to cover the cost of fielding candidates as promised by a key member of Thai Rak Thai.

Chawakarn said he was contacted by the key Thai Rak Thai member after the three former opposition parties, including the Democrats, decided to boycott the election.

He said he went to Thai Rak Thai's head office on the night of March 2 to meet the key member and contacted Suksan that night to start preparations for fielding candidates.

The Thai Rak Thai member wanted Pattana Chat Thai to field candidates in provinces that are strongholds of the three opposition parties, such as Sa Kaew, Suphan Buri, Prachin Buri and Angthong.

Chawakarn said he, Suksan and Monthiraphon had made preparations for the election, including submitting applications for Pattana Chat Thai candidates between March 3 and 8.

He said he went to the Defence Ministry on March 6 to get cash from the Thai Rak Thai member to cover application expenses.

Suksan said he was contacted by Chawakarn on March 2 and later helped recruit candidates. Suksan said he received a computer disc from the Election Commission (EC) on the night of March 6 so that he could change the party's membership records. The names and personal information of 86 candidates were pasted over the records of 86 existing party members who had applied before the end of January - giving the candidates the right to run as they now appeared to have been members of the party for the required 90 days.

The disc was returned to the EC late on March 6 and on the morning of March 7, the 86 Pattana Chat Thai candidates were listed on the EC's website as properly registered members of the party, he said.

Monthiraphon admitted to the press conference that she was the one who filled out the application forms for the 86 party candidates.

Suthep told the press conference it was Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's responsibility to ensure the three candidates and their families were not harmed. If the premier failed to do this, Suthep said, he would do everything he could to ensure that Thaksin could not live peacefully in the country.

Suthep said he would not reveal the names of the EC officials involved in allowing the party to change its membership records at the press conference because he wanted to give EC chairman Wassana Permlarp a chance to "clean up his own house".

Suthep said he would give Thaksin 24 hours to tackle the issue. If he failed to do so, Suthep said, he would expose more alleged involvement by key members of Thai Rak Thai in paying small parties to field candidates.

Suthep said he would not be deterred by the threat of a lawsuit against him by Prommin Lertsuridej, the prime minister's secretary-general.

Asked to comment on Suthep's allegations, Thaksin said, "Oh, this is too much - everything has gone crazy."

Several leading Thai Rak Thai members denied Suthep's allegations. They said they were considering suing him for defaming the party.

Meanwhile, in Nakhon Ratchasima, Pattana Chat Thai leader Boonthaweesak Amornsin, 57, filed a complaint with Muang district police station accusing Suthep of defaming him.

He said he had never changed party membership records and had never been paid by any Thai Rak Thai member to field candidates.

Boonthaweesak admitted attending a meeting at the Kanmanee Hotel, as alleged by Suthep and the three witnesses. However, he said it was called by three small parties - Thammathipatai, Kristhai Mungkong and Pattana Chat Thai - to discuss their election plans, not for making preparations to cheat in the election as alleged.

EC chief Wassana said he had ordered commission officials to gather information on the allegations and report to him today.

Bancha Khaengkhan

The Nation