Constitution Tribunal judges have a gruelling day
It was a gruelling day for the Constitution Tribunal judges
yesterday as they spent well over nine hours reading out their joint verdicts in the separate cases against the country's two largest political parties and other smaller parties.
A day earlier they spent several hours meeting at the Supreme Court ironing out the final ruling. The tribunal's president, Panya Thanomrod, yesterday began the session by warning the audience that the verdict reading would be lengthy and that members of the audience could get out of the courtroom whenever they needed. During the four-hour reading of the verdict on the electoral fraud case against the Democrat and Progressive Democratic parties, Panya occasionally turned to talk to Ackaratorn Chularat, the tribunal's vice president. Constitution Tribunal member Charan Hathagam was the first to read the 89-page verdict for the cases. He started with a strong, clear voice but he began to fade as he read. Another tribunal member, Nurak Mapraneet, was the next to read, followed by Somchai Pongsata. They seemed to be exhausted as they read over ten pages each of the verdict. After Somchai, it was Charan's turn again. His voice was apparently weaker than the first round. There were no glasses of water placed in front of them as they read the verdicts. For the electoral fraud cases against the Thai Rak Thai, Pattana Chart Thai and Thai Ground parties, tribunal member Vichai Chuenchompoonut read first, followed by Thanit Kesawapitak, then Krairerk Kasemsant. The verdict for this group of parties was more than one hundred pages long. During the reading, Panya seemed to be under more stress than for the first group (Democrat and Progressive Democratic). However, all the tribunal members looked exhausted.
Kornchanok Raksaseri The Nation
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