Pongthep made the statement on the television programme "Mong Rattasapa" (Looking at Parliament), where he said that if either the Thai Rak Thai Party or Democrat Party is dissolved, its members would be disqualified from applying as MP candidates.

Pongthep, who is in charge of the ruling party's legal affairs, said that as the party is a "legal entity" it should not be held responsible for offences committed by individual party members or party executives.

"If any party executive committed murder or slander on the election campaign stage, they would be held responsible for the offence individually. No one has ever thought that the party that they belong to must be dissolved,'' he said.

Pongthep also said that neither the Election Commission nor its sub-committee has summoned party representatives to face the charges of electoral fraud on behalf of the party.

He said that the EC had only summoned Thai Rak Thai deputy leader Thamarak Isarangura and deputy secretary-general Pongsak Ruktapongpisal for individual questioning.

"The party has never defended itself against the charges. If the Constitution Court accepts the charge, the party is ready to prove that it has committed the offence as accused,'' he said.