Poll scam needs further probe: EC
The Election Commission has assigned a subcommittee to further investigate allegations that the Thai Rak Thai Party hired small parties to run in the April 2 election, as inquiries so far were inconclusive, EC chairman Vasana Puemlarp said on Wednesday.
The subcommittee would report its findings within seven days, he said. Vasana was referring to the controversial results already delivered by the subcommittee, which found that Thai Rak Thai Party had paid small parties to contest in the poll. The panel also recommended that Thaksin Shinawatra be invited to testify before the EC. If the allegations are accepted, the party would face dissolution and all party members would be prohibited from participating in politics for five years. Vasana said the three remaining EC members met yesterday and the results of the subcommittee's probe were reported at the meeting. "The investigation was not comprehensive because some people involved have not yet testified to the subcommittee. So the meeting has assigned the subcommittee to conduct further inquiries," Vasana said. The EC has been accused - many times - of trying to protect the Thai Rak Thai Party and Thaksin Shinawatra.
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