Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva called a meeting to address the legal threat being mounted against the party. Participants also discussed the charges the Election Commission has laid against it.

"We are ready to fight in court to uphold our dignity, integrity and the party ideology, which was established 60 years ago. We will fight to uphold justice,'' he said.

The party decided to continue its political activities as usual. It will call a meeting of former MPs next Tuesday and campaign as normal for all district and municipal elections, Ong-art said.

Office of the Attorney-General spokesman Attapol Yaisawang said earlier that prosecutors would not pursue all six charges levelled against the party - particularly those relating to the wrongful citing of Article 7 of the Constitution to seek a royally appointed prime minister.

However, Ong-art said the party was unsure this pledge would be honoured.

"There is a move to lobby influential figures to frame up the charge over Article 7 so the public prosecutor will be forced to lodge the accusations with the high court,'' he said.

Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban paid homage to the revered Mother Earth Statue, the party's symbol, and said, contrary to reports, neither he nor the party had committed any offences. The Democrats would fight to prove its innocence in court.

He said complaints against the Election Commission were filed openly, but when the EC filed its complaints against the Democrats, it chose to be secretive.

"I asked the EC who accused us; they did not tell me. I asked for the names of [those on their] investigative panel who'd questioned us; they did not give them to us. I wanted to see the order appointing the panel; they did not show it.

"I have asked for the investigation file. I am waiting to see if I will get it,'' he said.

Suthep blamed the situation on "Thaksinomics" which, he said had infiltrated all independent agencies and was the real reason for his party's legal battle.

"If Thaksinomics is allowed to dominate thinking for the next five years, I am sure future generations of Thais will be denied equal rights and, also, opportunities for doing better financially," he said.