Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban, centre, holds a press conference at the party’s headquarters yesterday on the Democrats’ preparations to defend the party at the Constitution Tribunal.

However, Thaksin might not have to come to the court as Constitution Tribunal judges may allow him to testify via teleconference, he said.

Thaksin has been forbidden from returning to Thailand since the September 19 coup.

Constitution Tribunal judge Jaran Hatthakam said yesterday there was a regulation that allowed witnesses to testify via a video-conferencing system but the final decision would rest with the Tribunal.

The Constitution Tribunal will meet this afternoon with representatives of five political parties plus the Attorney-General to decide how to proceed with the cases.

It will be the first official meeting of the parties after the coup-makers dissolved the Constitution Court and ordered judges to be selected from the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court for the new Tribunal.

The five parties include Thai Rak Thai, which is accused of bankrolling minor parties to contest the April 2 general election so it could avoid the 20 per cent minimum vote requirement needed by sole candidates.

Democrat Party is accused of having presented false witnesses to accuse Thai Rak Thai of electoral fraud, giving speeches to topple Thaksin's government, inducing people not to vote, and inducing people in Songkhla to block MP candidates from registering for an election.

Three minor parties involved in the cases are the Progressive Democratic, the Pattana Chart Thai and Thai Ground parties.

The court will tell the plaintiff and defendants today whether the cases against the parties will be considered in one hearing or five cases against each party. They will also discuss the issues to be raised before the court.

Pongthep, who heads Thai Rak Thai's defence team, said the party trusted the nine Constitution Tribunal judges and hoped it would receive justice.

However, it had changed the facts for its defence as legal and institutional circumstances had changed following the military coup on September 19. It would tell the court the investigation by the Election Commission sub-committee led by Nam Yimyaem was unfair, as it found Thai Rak Thai guilty without giving it the chance to explain itself.

The party would be able to clear the allegations that TRT's acting deputy secretary-general Pongsak Ruktapongpisal and acting deputy party leader Thamarak Isarangura hired small parties to compete in the April 2 election as they did not do as alleged, he said.

However, the laws would be a problem as the 1997 Constitution was scrapped by the coup but its organic law, the Political Party Act, was still in use.

Democrat Party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai, who will represent his party in court and heads the Democrats' legal team, said yesterday he was confident they would win the case, as they had not acted as alleged. The allegations could be explained and the party had prepared documents and witnesses.

Meanwhile, Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban said the party's actions had been aimed at promoting democracy, not violating laws or political norms.

He said he would not comment further on the case, out of respect to the court. However, if the court permits, the party wanted to publicise evidence and court testimonies to the public after the trial/s finish.

Suthep has been accused of hiring a small party to frame Thai Rak Thai.

Kesinee Jaikawang,

Yossawadee Hongthong

The Nation