Thai party cleared over election fraud

BANGKOK – Thailand’s oldest political party did not commit election fraud and will not be dissolved, a top court ruled yesterday, easing tensions in the kingdom which was bracing for unrest ahead of the verdict.

But the Constitutional Tribunal can still decide to disband ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s Thai Rak Thai (TRT), Thailand’s other main political party that is at the centre of an electoral fraud inquest. The judgements, which some analysts warn could plunge the country into chaos, come after more than a year of political upheaval, including a bloodless military coup against Thaksin last September.The Constitutional Tribunal, created after the coup, ruled that the 61-year-old Democrat Party was not guilty on all four charges stemming from last April’s elections, which were later annulled as fraud allegations piled up.It also ruled that no Democrat executives would be banned from politics.”The facts cannot prove that the Democrats did any wrongdoing so there is no reason to dissolve the Democrats,” said Thanit Kesawapitak, one of nine tribunal judges.The Democrats, which ruled Thailand on and off for a decade before the TRT first swept the polls in 2001, faced charges including obstructing political campaigning and slandering the TRT.Similarly, the TRT has been charged with illegally financing smaller parties to contest the 2006 election in a bid to boost the polls’ credibility.TRT officials hoped the Democrat ruling was a signal that they too would escape the election scandal unscathed.”The oldest party survived the verdict, and we do hope that TRT, who have less than 10 years history, will get fair treatment as well,” said Kudeb Saikrajang, one the TRT’s executives.Tensions had risen ahead of the court verdict, which threatened to prolong the political uncertainty that has gripped Thailand since the beginning of last year.Analysts warn that disbanding Thailand’s main parties could cause disarray, even if they simply re-establish themselves under new party names and leaders.They say the move would wipe out a generation of veterans and discourage younger politicians from stepping into leadership roles, significantly altering the kingdom’s political landscape.”If we send them all to the political wilderness, who would be there to administer the country?” said Michael Nelson, a political analyst at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University.More immediately, fears that a negative verdict might spark violence among party supporters, particularly Thaksin loyalists, prompted warnings that the ruling junta could resort to “an emergency decree” if necessary.Nampa-AFPThe judgements, which some analysts warn could plunge the country into chaos, come after more than a year of political upheaval, including a bloodless military coup against Thaksin last September.The Constitutional Tribunal, created after the coup, ruled that the 61-year-old Democrat Party was not guilty on all four charges stemming from last April’s elections, which were later annulled as fraud allegations piled up.It also ruled that no Democrat executives would be banned from politics.”The facts cannot prove that the Democrats did any wrongdoing so there is no reason to dissolve the Democrats,” said Thanit Kesawapitak, one of nine tribunal judges.The Democrats, which ruled Thailand on and off for a decade before the TRT first swept the polls in 2001, faced charges including obstructing political campaigning and slandering the TRT.Similarly, the TRT has been charged with illegally financing smaller parties to contest the 2006 election in a bid to boost the polls’ credibility.TRT officials hoped the Democrat ruling was a signal that they too would escape the election scandal unscathed.”The oldest party survived the verdict, and we do hope that TRT, who have less than 10 years history, will get fair treatment as well,” said Kudeb Saikrajang, one the TRT’s executives.Tensions had risen ahead of the court verdict, which threatened to prolong the political uncertainty that has gripped Thailand since the beginning of last year.Analysts warn that disbanding Thailand’s main parties could cause disarray, even if they simply re-establish themselves under new party names and leaders.They say the move would wipe out a generation of veterans and discourage younger politicians from stepping into leadership roles, significantly altering the kingdom’s political landscape.”If we send them all to the political wilderness, who would be there to administer the country?” said Michael Nelson, a political analyst at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University.More immediately, fears that a negative verdict might spark violence among party supporters, particularly Thaksin loyalists, prompted warnings that the ruling junta could resort to “an emergency decree” if necessary.Nampa-AFP