Thai Rak Thai MPs have called for the House to be opened despite the possibility of the April 2 election being invalidated by the Administrative Court, saying they were endorsed as MPs and the court had no right to nullify the election.

Members of Thai Rak Thai Party's Wang Nam Yom faction including Buri Ram MP Sophon Phetsawang, Nakhon Phanom MP Phaichit Sriworakhan and Chiang Rai MP Buasorn Prachamon, yesterday called for the 485 endorsed MPs to convene tomorrow to discuss solutions to the political crisis.

The Administrative Court had no authority to invalidate the election as it could only rule on cases of conflict among government agencies or conflicts between government and private agencies, Sophon said.

He called for the MPs to convene at 10am tomorrow in Parliament.

Sophon threatened to find ways to impeach the Administrative Court if it nullifies the April 2 election. He said the reasons for nullifying the election, as filed to the court, are too weak and would cause chaos.

A leader of the faction, Suriya Jungrungreangkit denied any acknowledgement of the group's activities, saying the party's senior members had agreed to follow the court's ruling, after he reported to the House as a newly-elected MP.

Meanwhile, another group of Thai Rak Thai MPs called for elections to select the remaining 14 constituency MPs and for the House to open once they are elected.

The group, which includes party-list MPs Prasop Budsarakham and Wirat Tayangkanont, as well as Chiang Rai MP Samart Kaewmeechai, said nullification of the April 2 election or the Royal Decree for the election would not solve the problems.

They also proposed that in the short term, moves to amend the Constitution be limited to cancelling the requirement that MP candidates be members of their political party for 90 days.

After that, MP candidates could change parties and run in another election. Amendment of other articles of the Constitution would take too much time, they said.

Nerisa Nerykhiew,

Kesinee Jaikawang

The Nation