Timing of case an odd coincidence

Parliament reporters late last month named him Parliament's Shining Star of the Year 2008. Some call him Jack the Beanstalk who beat Goliath.

Last year, many prominent public figures were found guilty and convicted in cases launched by Ruangkrai. Khunying Pojaman Damapong, former wife of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and her brother were convicted for tax-evasion from share transfers.

Former prime minister Samak Sundaravej was deposed for hosting a TV cooking show, based on charges that as prime minister he was, unconstitutionally, a company employee.

On Monday, Ruangkrai submitted a case to the Office of the Attorney-General against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Democrat Party.

He filed a petition seeking a judicial review on whether the Democrat Party had violated the Constitution by forming the coalition alliance, an offence punishable by party dissolution.

On the next day,Tuesday, Ruangkrai was himself a legal target.

Election Commission members revealed they had agreed to ask the court to rule whether Ruangkrai's appointment as a senator had been constitutional. It questioned if the property that nominated him, a condominium company, was a legal entity eligible to do so as it was not a non-profit organisation.

The timing, immediately after Ruangkrai had acted against the Democrat government, left many people to question whether politicking was involved.

Election Commissioner Sodsri Satayathum said it wasn't. She said the case had been petitioned a year ago by a failed senate candidate. And the EC had decided on the case on December 30, before Ruangkrai filed his case against the government.

"I assure you no politics were involved," she said.

The EC agreed yesterday to send the case to the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Political Office Holders.

Sodsri said the EC public relations team should have publicised the case to the media.

Ruangkrai, meanwhile, has announced suspension of his role as a senator. But he will not stop, saying those in the selecting committee must also be responsible.

It is his hope that he appear impartial in any case he might present, and that he fights hard against wrongdoing, no matter which political party is involved.