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Published on December 5, 2007

Junta head Air Chief Marshal Chalit Phukphasuk said yesterday that he or his designated representatives would testify before the Election Commission (EC) on December 11 in relation to two classified documents outlining a plan to undermine the People Power Party (PPP).

"The documents are authentic but appear to have some differences between the original copies and the photocopies," he said, promising to submit the original copies, which the EC has formally requested.

Chalit, caretaker chairman of the Council for National Security, said he was consulting with other junta members on who should testify - the choices included himself, Defence permanent-secretary General Winai Phattiyakul and Army commander-in-chief General Anupong Paochinda.

He said following the September 19 coup, the junta wanted to overcome the social divisions and safeguard national security. Its duties were sanctioned by the interim charter and the 2007 Constitution.

The junta's counter-propaganda plan against the PPP, seen as the remnant of the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party, was mentioned in the classified documents and approved by former junta chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin before three organic laws relating to the electoral process were enacted.

Two days after Sonthi backed the move, PPP leader Samak Sundaravej circulated the leaked documents and the classified plans were never put into action, he said.

Once the election laws were enacted, the armed forces were under strict orders from the Defence Ministry to remain politically neutral, he said.

Chalit said he would leave it up to the EC to rule whether the junta was guilty of tampering with the electoral process.

He said the junta had no malicious intent toward PPP, which did not exist when the propaganda against TRT remnants was mapped out.

 The Nation