Chalerm threatened with lawsuits

TPI Polene vice president Silapin Buranasilapin also said the company would file both criminal and civil cases against all MPs who mentioned the company's name as they hurt its reputation- starting with Chalerm.

Deputy finance minister Pradit Pataraprasit as former Democrat secretary general showed future boards produced by Messiah Business and Creation and another company as well as receipts to prove that the party really hired Messiah and the company did produce election campaign props for it.

"The party really hired Messiah and it worked for us as we planned. It was the company's business if it was to give the money to anybody," he said.

Pradit said Prachuap Sangkhao, Messiah executive, was one of bidders who contacted the party for production job for election campaign. He was not familiar with Prachuap as accused.

Chalerm on Thursday detailed the party's involvement with Bt263 million from TPI Polene Plc and Bt29 million from the Election Commission through Prachuap and his cousin Thongchai Kolwichai.

Meanwhile, Pradit yesterday said Thongchai did not have a position in the Democrat Party and was not part of Messiah. He just does business. Thongchai subcontracted some jobs from Prachuap worth Bt40 million in instalment. They later had conflicts.

Pradit said his sister Sirilak Maithai was also summoned by the Department of Special Investigation because of the cheques she received Messiah-issued cheques. Actually Thongchai was paying the debt to her for Bt13 million with the cheques.

Pradit also denied the involvement of Chokchai, Thongchai's brother, in Messiah.

"If it is found out later I was involved in the wrongdoings as accused, only I am indicted by a responsible agency, I will be content to stop my political role and quit from all positions right away without waiting for the ruling," he said.

Pradit and Niphon Bunyamanee, the then deputy secretary-general, denied Chalerm's allegation that they met with Messiah executive Prachuap Sangkhao and Prachai Leophairatana, the then TPI Polene CEO, at a hotel in Bangkok to discuss the plan to give money to the Democrats.

Niphon said Chalerm intentionally omitted speaking on the information that his family has concrete (cement) business accused his sister and cousins as illegally receiving money from TPIPL as advertising fee without real promotion.

Those accused had testified to the DSI, and Chalerm should have known it but he tried to distort the facts to frame the Democrats, Niphon said.

"My sister is matured enough to do her own business. She also testified (to the DSI) that she did the job (from TPIPL). But it had nothing to do with the Democrats or the prime minister. More importantly, Messiah signed the contract with her company clearly," Niphon said.

Chalerm also gave false information that TPI hired her to promote products in Songkhla but she actually did business in Phetchaburi.

Niphon also showed pictures of his family's factories and contracts with TPI Polene.

Democrat MP Banyat Bantadtan, the then party leader, said the party has been strict in submitting financial report to the Election Commission according to the law. The party also asked for the EC's permission before changing its projects.