The tribunal yesterday summoned representatives from the Democrat and Progressive Democratic parties to inspect the lists and whether all the parties involved will accept them.

The tribunal has agreed to hold the first trial against the parties on January 18, with Abhisit scheduled to testify as a witness on March 8.

The Democrat Party was accused of cooperating with the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to topple the Thaksin Shinawatra government, obstructing candidate registration in Trang province, and getting a member, Thaikorn Polsuwan, to hire the Progressive Democratic Party to frame the Thai Rak Thai Party.

At the tribunal's request, the attorney-general agreed to cut the witnesses to 61 people. The Democrats agreed to cut their witnesses to 38 people while the Progressive Democratic Party didn't file any witnesses.

The tribunal has allowed the parties to consider the extent of the cuts and the witnesses filed by the attorney-general until Monday.

The tribunal will summon the parties again on Thursday as it had not received all of the listed documents and items of evidence in possession of other people and agencies.

The tribunal summoned the Thai Rak Thai, Pattana Chart Thai and Thai Ground parties to hear the verification of their witness and evidence lists on Wednesday.

It has agreed to hold the first trial against the Thai Rak Thai and the two smaller parties on January 16.

Atthayuth Butrsripoom

The Nation