Election Commission chairman Vasana Puemlarp presides over a meeting with representatives from 28 political parties yesterday, aimed at resolving the party membership issue.

With the completion of celebrations to mark His Majesty the King's 60 years on the throne, the political atmosphere looks likely to return to a state of crisis.

While the government urged relevant parties yesterday to stop bickering and join hands to map out a solution to the political crisis, the administration is obligated to try to heed His Majesty the King's call for unity.

But within hours the gloves were off - Thai Rak Thai Party leader and caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra launched both criminal and civil lawsuits against the Democrat Party and three newspapers.

The suits allege the defendants caused the public to misunderstand that the Thaksin government had caused damage to the country, that Thaksin was a bad person and that he wanted to return to power to cheat in the election and to take part in corruption.

The caretaker PM also named the three papers as co-defendants and demanded the eight defendants jointly pay him Bt800 million in compensation for the alleged damage to his reputation.

These lawsuits are likely to cause many critics to round on him, and accuse him of stirring up political turmoil yet again.

Also yesterday, a group of 29 caretaker senators hit back by submitting a petition to the caretaker Senate speaker to seek a Constitution Court ruling on Thaksin as caretaker premier.

And while Thaksin is an obvious cause of political heat, there are other proceedings waiting to be resolved that had to stop for the royal celebrations.

Today the Constitution Court will consider disqualifying the three remaining election commissioners, after 35 senators petitioned the court. If the court agrees to hear the senators' case, it will intensify pressure on the EC.

The EC will be in the spotlight tomorrow also, when the Attorney General's Office will consider an investigative report on whether the Thai Rak Thai Party funded minor parties to run in the April 2 poll.

The Attorney General has two options. The first, moving to dissolve Thai Rak Thai, would unleash huge shock waves on the already volatile political landscape. The second, returning the Nam panel's investigative report to the three remaining election commissioners to seek an opinion on the report, could prolong their agony.

On Monday, the Criminal Court will start to probe charges, filed by Democrat Party executive Thaworn Senniam, that the EC mismanaged the April 2 poll. Other charges include scheduling an unfair poll date and failing to ensure privacy at polling booths, as required by the Constitution.

The poll body, meanwhile, in a bid to rebuild its tattered reputation, has proposed that it be restructured. The commissioners said the EC needs to be less bureaucratic and more participatory, so it can respond more effectively to "current political reality".

But many critics have attacked the plan, saying it would not make any difference or solve any problems because of the public's lack of trust in the commissioners.

The EC could also face a public backlash over its secretary-general Ekkachai Warunprapha, who has requested a pay rise.

The Democrat Party also faces claims of fraud that could threaten the party's future. Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva and secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban are defending the party to an EC panel looking into Thai Rak Thai allegations of electoral fraud.

Both the Democrats and Thai Rak Thai could be dissolved if found to have violated the Constitution. But political academics believe the EC may punish senior party figures instead.

Meanwhile, keep an eye on three caretaker ministers - Wissanu Krea-ngam, Surakiart Sathirathai and Chaturon Chaisang, following rumours they would resign this week. None of the three has made any comment on the rumours.

Sucheera Pinijparakarn

The Nation