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Published on April 12, 2008

The Election Commission (EC) voted yesterday to disband the Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya parties - both coalition partners - for election fraud. Its decision will be forwarded to the Constitution Court for a final ruling.

Kuthep Saikachang, spokesman for the People Power Party, expressed concern that the PPP could face the same ruling in a similar case.

The EC voted 4-1 in support of the recommendation by EC chairman Apichart Sukhagganond for dissolving both Chart Thai and Matchima. Somchai Juengprasert voted against taking the case to the court, an EC source said.

Apichart argued that Monthien Songprapha was serving as Chart Thai's deputy secretary-general and Sunthorn Wilawan as Matchima Thipataya's deputy leader when they were separately involved with electoral fraud. The EC disqualified both of them in January.

Although it was found that other executives were unaware of their involvement with electoral fraud, the party executives' knowledge of the wrongdoing alone was sufficient to seek a Constitution Court ruling, said Apichart's recommendation.

In Matchima Thipataya's case, the party had argued that Sunthorn should not be regarded as an executive member at the time of the wrongdoing because then-party leader Prachai Leophairatana had resigned in December. Its board's term ends when the party leader leaves his position.

However, Apichart argued that the party's regulations state that members perform caretaker duties until a new board is appointed. Hence, Sunthorn should be regarded as an executive at the time of wrongdoing.

Anongwan Thepsuthin, leader of Matchima, was emotional after learning the decision. Sanan Kachorn-prasart, deputy Chart Thai leader, said Banharn Silapa-archa - party leader - was distressed by the penalty's harshness.

The Nation