From January 1 to May 30, seven parties received donations totalling Bt104.6 million, with Thai Rak Thai receiving the highest amount at Bt80 million, said Pokkrong Sunthornsut.

The other totals were: Democrat Party Bt16 million, Thai Citizen Party Bt7 million, Mahachon Party Bt220,000, People Power Party Bt80,000, For Heaven and Earth Party Bt70,000 and Farmer Force Party Bt4,000. The Democrat Party celebrated its 60th anniversary on May 27 and raised funds for an election campaign.

Pokkrong said that as the Constitution Court had accepted election-fraud cases against the Democrats and Thai Rak Thai, the projects of the two main parties that were financed by the EC's Political Party Developing Fund would be suspended.

Three other parties, Pattana Chart Thai, Thai Ground and Progressive Democratic, will also be tried by the Constitution Court. Pattana Chart Thai and Thai Ground also receive funding and will have their projects suspended.

Parties facing the judicial process, which could lead to dissolution, will have to report what they have spent and return the remaining money to the EC, Pokkrong said.

As of June 14, Thai Rak Thai was entitled to a Bt156-million subsidy from the fund and had received Bt135.9 million, the Democrats were entitled to Bt57.4 million and had received Bt45.9 million, Thai Ground was entitled to Bt3.26 million and had received Bt1.36 million, and Pattana Chart Thai was entitled to Bt541,100 and had received Bt277,900.

Atthayuth Butrsripoom

The Nation