Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban and his legal staff report to an Election Commission subcommittee yesterday.

The subcommittee, headed by Suriya Songwit, questioned Suthep for more than three hours over complaints filed by the Thai Rak Thai Party that the Democrats had hired small parties to slander the ruling party and had tried to undermine the government.

Suthep said the panel questioned him about claims that the Democrats had convinced small parties to not field MP candidates in Songkhla. He denied the allegation, saying the Democrats had nothing to do with the decision.

Suthep had allegations of his own - that Thai Rak Thai had bankrolled small parties to contest the poll so it did not appear to be a one-horse race.

He submitted evidence yesterday that allegedly pinpoints the Thai Rak Thai mastermind behind the campaign.

The panel also asked for a video of an interview he gave in March in which he is accused of slandering Thai Rak Thai.

He denied the Democrats had ever slandered Thai Rak Thai, saying he only advised candidates with small parties to resign from their parties instead of applying to run because they did not have the required qualifications.

He said the panel also questioned him about an anti-Thaksin protest at Sanam Luang and what "Thaksinomics" was. He said he told the panel Thaksinomics was the premier's authoritarian manner of ruling, which did not allow Cabinet a say in decision-making.

The panel also asked him to produce a video of an interview with Thaksin Shinawatra in which the prime minister allegedly said: "Being my Cabinet, you do not have to think anything, the PM thinks for you all."

Suthep said he had the tape and would present it in a few days.

Attayuth Butrsripoom

The Nation