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Published on January 17, 2008

Yongyuth had said he would employ technicians to determine if the disc the commission obtained from Special Branch police had been doctored.

Apichart said the commission did not make or edit the discs. "We only have a duty to look at the content in the video and not to determine if they were edited,'' he said.

He said Yongyuth was allowed to bring in technicians to view eight discs in the presence of commission members. The discs will not be allowed to leave the commission.

Apichart has instructed all provincial commission offices to submit challenge decisions by 9am on January 21. "If the Parliament session starts in the afternoon, then it is possible,'' he said.

He said Article 93 of the Constitution stipulated Parliament could convene if 95 per cent of elected seats were filled.

Chart Thai candidate Wichit Yodsuwan has withdrawn a complaint against Yongyuth. However, it is up to the commission if the matter is dropped, he said.

Commission member Sumeth Ubanisakorn said a sub-committee that probed allegations against Yongyuth would have to wrap up its investigation with a decision even, if the case was dropped.

He said the commission had no time frame for the sub-committee to reach a decision.

Commission secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn allayed fears it would be taken to court if it allowed the case against Yongyuth to be dropped. He said if the commission did its job with integrity, it would be protected by the law.

Meanwhile, Suthiphon said the Council of State had upheld the commission's decision to disqualify Prachin Buri Matchima Thipataya Party candidate Sunthorn Vilawal, revoke his election rights for one year and fine him for the by-election, set for January 27.

The commission has asked its registrar to examine the possibility of dissolving Matchima Thipataya Party, because Sunthorn is a party executive member. Under new electoral rules, a political party is accountable for any electoral offence involving party executives.

 The Nation