The Office of the Attorney-General had earlier said the report submitted by the Election Commission alleging irregularities by Thai Rak Thai may be invalid, as it failed to press charges or recommend punishment.

OAG spokesman Attapol Yaisawang said earlier that an EC report submitted early this month concerning the Pattana Chart Thai and Thai Ground parties came with a recommendation that they be disbanded. But the EC's Thai Rak Thai report said nothing about what penalty the party deserved if it were found guilty of undermining the election process.

Attapol said that since Thursday, the EC had submitted four more sets of

evidence, which the OAG

has considered.

OAG sources said most members of the team looking into the case agreed it should be sent back to the EC. The EC would be asked to make a formal declaration of charges that the Thai Rak Thai violated Article 66 of the Political Party Act, if that were the case, and have the EC re-submit the report within 15 days.

Thai Rak Thai and the two small parties were accused of conspiring to run in the inconclusive April 2 election.

There were rumours yesterday that Thamarak Isarangura will step down as caretaker defence minister and Pongsak Ruktapongpisal will quit as caretaker transport minister to take responsibility for putting the party at risk of being dissolved.

In the EC's investigative report, both were named as organising the hiring of minor parties to run in the April 2 general election. But party sources said members were more interested in conjecture that caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam would resign today.

Kesinee Taengkhieo,

Attayuth Butrsripoom

The Nation