Junta claims PPP got hold of doctored documents

PPP leader Samak Sundaravej claimed on Monday that the junta planned to destroy his party.

"A part of the documents is authentic and not classified - it spells out an action plan for information dissemination and has been circulated among military units, but another part has been mysteriously annexed," Somjet said.

He said the junta was ready to cooperate if the Election Commission would investigate about the documents.

Colonel Chatchalerm Chalermsuk, who drafted and signed the original copy of the junta report, said he had a standing order not to comment on the issue. "But I hope the truth will come out following the completion of a probe," he said, expressing his willingness to testify.

Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Sonthi Boonyatraglin said on Friday he would leave it up to the junta to decide whether to cancel its propaganda plan against the People Power Party.

The plan was approved on September 14 when Sonthi was the junta chief. He resigned his position in order to join the interim government.

"As I am now in charge of a committee tasked to ensure fair voting, I would like to see a free and fair election and don't condone biases toward any party," he said.

The junta will have to review whether any measures imposed before the official launch of campaigning should be revoked, he said.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission issued a summons on Friday requesting the People Power Party to surrender classified documents it obtained and cooperate with the investigation into the junta's propaganda to discredit the party.

It also requested the Pracharaj Party to furnish evidence on the allegation about election candidates getting paid by parties in exchange for allegiance.

"The EC expects a full cooperation and will get to the bottom of the matter after getting the evidence from the two parties," EC secretary general Suthiphon Thaveechaigarn said.

The EC also plans to summon the Army officer responsible for drafting the documents for the junta to testify on the matter, Suthiphon said.

A PPP source said the party will submit the two documents detailing the junta's propaganda ploy. Many see the ploy as an interference into the electoral process.

In related development, a network of anticoup activists, led by Sant Hattheerat, Weng Tojirakarn and Pratheep Ungsongtham Hata, petitioned the EC to penalise the junta and its officials involved in the ploy against the PPP.

The Nation