A Thai Rak Thai legal team led by Wichit Plangsrisakul, middle, yesterday asked the Election Commission to revamp an investigating panel chaired by Nam Yimyaem, claiming panel members acted unfairly in their probe into the alleged bankrolling of small par

The Thai Rak Thai Party has asked the Election Commission to revamp its Nam Yimyaem panel, claiming that members acted unfairly in its probe into the alleged bankrolling of small parties to contest the April 2 election.

"The panel has overstepped its mandate in accusing the ruling party of menacing national security and threatening the Constitution by clinging to power using unconstitutional means," the party's legal adviser Wichit Plangsrisakul said yesterday.

Wichit said the Thai Rak Thai Party had four reasons to demand the panel be changed.

First, the panel's report had been leaked to the media and this had tarnished the ruling party's reputation.

Second, the accused had not been given a chance to defend themselves.

Third, some panel members were allegedly close to the Democrat Party.

And the panel might have incorrectly invoked certain provisions of the charter in charging the ruling party.

Wichit said the ruling party would respect the findings of any revamped panel, regardless of the outcome.

Yesterday, the head of the EC subcommittee rejected suggestions he was close to Democrat senior adviser Chuan Leekpai. Nam Yimyaem said Chuan was his four years senior at Thammasat University, but he had never gone to Chuan's house in Soi Mor Leng, he said.

Nam also denied a report that two panel members had resigned. All members of the panel - including Tien Chonmaitree and Visit Sankha-haphol, who were reported to have resigned - attended yesterday's meeting.

But Nam refused to give details about the meeting, saying investigations must remain secret.

He also refused to comment on news reports that the subcommittee defied an order from EC chairman Vasana Puermlarp to make further inquiries into the case after the panel had submitted its findings. He said argument or disagreement was normal during discussions before reaching a conclusion.