Chalerm Yoobamrung, chief of opposition Pheu Thai Party MPs, said yesterday he was ready to testify as a prosecution witness in a dissolution case against the ruling Democrat Party.
The veteran politician said he had learned that the Election Commission would ask Pheu Thai Party to let him testify as a witness, since he had grilled the Abhisit government about the matter in a no-confidence debate in Parliament. So he was willing to give the EC his cooperation.
He also warned key witnesses who may reverse testimonies they had given to the Department of Special Investigation in regard to the case, they should think twice because the DSI had recorded the questioning on video tapes.
"They cannot reverse their statement," he said.
He said his sources told him that a politician had given a key witness support, by giving him a political job.
Chalerm said he had also asked senior police whom he could depend on to protect Teerachai Thamrongpongsakorn or "Meng", who claimed the wife of the DSI chief had received Bt150,000 in alleged bribes, after Meng said he had been threatened.
Meanwhile, Democrat Party spokesman Dr Buranat Samutrak slammed Chaturon Chaisaeng, a banned executive from the disbanded Thai Rak Thai Party, for interfering in the justice process in relation to the court hearing of the party dissolution case - by saying that if the Democrats were not dissolved, it would be hard for the country to achieve reconciliation.
"Such a statement is also intended to incite the masses. Chaturon, the Pheu Thai Party and the red shirts must stop such behaviour if they are sincere about their campaign against double standards,'' Buranat said.
Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai said he would get Chaiwat Triyasunant, an ex-party MP from Phetchabun to act as a defence lawyer in the dissolution case because some lawyers would have to attend House sessions and may not be able to carry out their duties in regard to the case.
Chalerm also said he believed the Abhisit government would survive till April next year because of many factors such as the Opposition not being able to launch a censure motion in the next parliamentary session.
However, he was convinced that once the House was dissolved, Pheu Thai would stage a comeback at the polls to win most MP seats and form a one-party government. He expected the party would win 60 seats in the North and more than 100 seats in the Northeast.