The Democrats are recruiting more lawyers to take care of the party's dissolution cases.
Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai said yesterday the party never planned to change its legal team, however, Culture Minister Nipit Intara-sombat, who is currently in charge of the case about the alleged misuse of Bt29 million in EC funds, was busy enough with his ministerial post.
Nipit knew the case better than anyone, but he could only help the party when he was free from his ministerial work, Chuan explained.
Chuan said he would meet Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the party leader, on Thursday to discuss who would be assigned to full-time work on the case for the Democrats.
The legal team would also discuss with Bundit Siripant, a veteran lawyer working for the party on the Bt258-million donation case, on whether should be more lawyers from outside the party to help work on the matter, Chuan said.
When the Democrats defended a dissolution case in 2006, some lawyers from a legal office worked full-time on the case, he said.
Chuan, who is a former PM, said it was normal for anyone sued to be worried. But he was still confident in the fairness and justice of the Constitution Court and the laws of karma that people who do good deeds get good results in return.
Chuan said he asked the government to ensure the safety of staff working at independent organisations. Some had faced threats they did not deserve, such as the Election Commission, which was told its office would be burnt and EC members would be assassinated.
Deputy attorney-general Waiyawut Lortrakul said a team of prosecutors had finished drafting one case and submitted the writ, with over 100 pages of reports, for the attorney-general to approve. Unless a change was needed, the case could be submitted to the Constitution Court by the deadline this afternoon.
Jirayu Huangsap, deputy spokesman of the Opposition Pheu Thai Party, said some Democrat MPs had asked MPs from his party to support the government in case some of Democrats are disqualified over the dissolution cases. They had been told they would be rewarded with a ministerial seat for every five MPs who switch sides, he claimed.
Democrat MP Thepthai Senapong denied the report.