The Democrat Party will continue meeting people to learn their opinions even if it is dissolved over the electoral fraud case, its leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said on the party's 61st anniversary yesterday.

"We are moving on to our sixty-second year today. There will be a sixty-third, a sixty-fourth, and so on for a long time. Our missions have no end and we can't stop. No matter what the political situation is, the most important mission is that all members continue meeting people - not for politics or elections but to understand, listen, explain and exchange information and ideas so that, by 2008, our Thailand is secure and moves forward," he said.

Democrat chief adviser Chuan Leekpai, who heads the party's defence team in the electoral fraud case, said the party's closing statement - more than 100 pages - would be finished before the Songkran holiday.

Following the Thai New Year, the party will organise a series of seminars and public discussions, he said. After that, it will be ready to enter the elections.

"Although I accept that Chuan Leekpai won't openly say the party will certainly win the case, I can say that no matter what happens after May, the word 'Democrat' will remain and the party will continue working for the people," he said.

The Constitution Tribunal has set May 30 for its verdict on whether the Democrat and Progressive Democratic parties are guilty of electoral fraud and should be dissolved.

Chuan said the most important thing was that people respect the law, be honest and stay unified.

Meanwhile, Abhisit called on the Cabinet to lift the announcement of the Council for Democratic Reform (now the Council for National Security, or CNS) that prohibits activities by political parties.

He said it was currently not the CNS, but the Cabinet's authority to amend the announcements. As soon as they were amended or lifted, he would visit people in the restive South.

After giving a bouquet to Abhisit and Chuan, Mahachon Party leader and co-founder Sanan Kachornprasart hoped the party would form the next government with Abhisit as prime minister.

Sanan, former Democrat secretary-general, said "it was time" for Abhisit to be prime minister. Sanan added he was content to be the Democrats' political ally, but would not rejoin the party as he had to work for Mahachon.

Yesterday was the first time Sanan had visited the party since resigning in 2004.

Besides Sanan, representatives from political parties congratulating the Democrats on their 61st anniversary included Chat Thai deputy party leader Somsak Pisananuntagul and spokesman Janista Liewchalermwong, along with Supap Kleekajai, who represented former Thai Rak Thai deputy leader Suwat Liptapanlop and his group.

The party also held religious ceremonies to celebrate its anniversary.