Thai Rak Thai Party members at a meeting after learning of the OAG’s recommendations. Deputy leader Thamarak Isarangura, second right, and deputy secretary-general Pongsak Ruktapongpisal, second left, are accused of bankrolling small parties to run agains

"We are confident of our innocence. The party is a juristic body and has never committed any wrongful acts,'' he said.

The committee would ask the Constitution Court to dissolve Thai Rak Thai, the main opposition Democrat Party and three other small parties for having allegedly violated the Constitution and The Political Party Act.

Asked if the government would alter the royal decree to organise general elections on October 15, Thaksin said everything "is still the same".

A copy of the committee's decision reached Thaksin during a meeting at the party's headquarters. His face fell when he read it. He told the party and asked members not to worry as it was not guilty of anything.

Thai Rak Thai Party deputy spokesman Pimuk Simoroj said Thaksin had set a meeting for July 4 to pick candidates without waiting to see if the general elections were going to be held on October 15.

He said Thaksin had tried to boost party morale by telling members not to be perturbed.

Kuthep Saikrachang, the party's legal specialist, expressed confidence the party would not be dissolved.

That would happen "only if it is proven the party leader committed an offence or he instructed the party's executive board to act on his behalf. But, in the case of the Democrat Party, the leader is accused of an electoral offence,'' he said.

Deputy spokesman Suthin Klangsaeng said the members would stick with the party. "We are confident of the public's faith in us and the party has not done anything wrong. No matter what the court rules, Thai Rak Thai will survive,'' he said.

A grim-faced Defence Minister Thamarak Isarangura refused press interviews saying he had already given all explanations. Transport Minister Pongsak Ruktapongpisal said he was not concerned about dissolution and distanced himself from all accusations. "They just jump to a conclusion. The court will decide if a person is guilty and I am ready to give further statements,'' he said.

Thamarak and Pongsak were accused of bankrolling the smaller parties to contest the April 2 elections. With the case being forwarded for a Constitution Court ruling, both may end up being sacrificed for Thai Rak Thai's survival.