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Published on July 28, 2007

The Thai Rak Thai Group is seeking a way to beat the 90-day rule for political candidates by joining an existing party by August 4 if the 1997 constitution is reintroduced so their former MPs can contest the general election.

Surapong Suebwonglee, a TRT Group executive, said the group will continue its campaign to reject the new constitution, although the Council for National Security may reintroduce the 1997 constitution which contains a clause that bans MP candidates who have not been party members for 90 days from running.

The National Legislative Assembly had ruled to support the clause that bans dissolved parties from using the same name and logo if they establish a new party.

Kuthep Saikrachang said the group would meet today to decide if there are other ways to run in the general election.

Surapong said the group would buy advertising space in several newspapers next week to highlight articles in the new constitution of which TRT disapproves.

Campaigns against the constitution will intensify as the public referendum on August 19 draws near, he said.

Meanwhile, Chat Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa said after a party executive board meeting yesterday that Sontaya Kunplome has been appointed as the party's chief adviser and Pavena Hongsakul as adviser to the party leader. Both Prapat Panyachatraksa and Chuwit Kamolwisit are  party deputy leaders.

Banharn said if the campaign by a former political party to vote down the new constitution  was successful, he would be very happy because the CNS may re-introduce the 1997 constitution which originated from political reform by his administration when he was prime minister.

Banharn warned his party members that the new constitution allows those who can produce evidence of election fraud and vote-buying against MP candidates to seek a Constitution Court ruling to dissolve the guilty party and ban its executives from politics for five years.

"If Chat Thai is politically harassed, we could be dissolved by some ill-intentioned people who can use just a little money to achieve that,'' he said.

Yesterday evening Chat Thai held a fund-raising event at Muang Thong Thani, which was attended by party supporters and politicians from its allies  the Democrat and Mahachon parties.