Suthep wants court to call Nam to stand
Democrat Party secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban yesterday asked the Criminal Court to summon the chair of an Election Commission (EC) investigation panel as a witness in his suit charging the watchdog with malfeasance.
Retired Supreme Court judge Nam Yimyaem chaired the panel, which investigated allegations the Thai Rak Thai Party committed electoral fraud in the April 2 election. Suthep has accused the EC of being slow to respond to the panel's conclusions. The Nam panel alleged Thai Rak Thai hired smaller parties to field candidates in constituencies where its candidates would otherwise have had to run solo and, as a result, be required to win 20 per cent of the vote in order to take the seat. Suthep said the EC had favoured the Thai Rak Thai Party by allowing new candidates to register for the second round of voting on April 23. Suthep said the EC had neglected to pursue its investigation of Thai Rak Thai's alleged election fraud, and instead diverted the probe to investigate allegations the Democrat Party hired small parties to try to frame Thai Rak Thai. Suthep was the sole witness testifying yesterday. Testimony from the plaintiff's witnesses will continue today and on Tuesday, while the defendants' witnesses will testify from August 8 to 11.
Kesinee Taengkhiew The Nation
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