Registration delay upsets TRT
Former Thai Rak Thai politicians join hands with their political allies in launching the Pro-Thaksin, Anti-Dictatorship Group at Rattanakosin Hotel yesterday.
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Thai Rak Thai Group leader Chaturon Chaisang yesterday attacked the Council for National Security (CNS) for deliberately slowing the process to allow party registration.
"It is a deliberate tactic to delay the process in order to eradicate and destroy those who oppose the CNS, especially those who used to be Thai Rak Thai Party members,'' Chaturon said. He was commenting after the Cabinet lifted the ban on political-party activity, but had asked the Council of State to study whether it can lift the ban on party registration. There was a possibility of a delay as Surayud said the government had to forward the matter to the National Legislative Assembly to amend relevant regulations. Asked about a report that some Thai Rak Thai Group members were being head-hunted to join other parties, Chaturon said none had defected. "We hope Thai Rak Thai supporters will help convince them not to leave the group. The people want to see our return," he said. Asked about the group calling itself the Pro-Thaksin Anti-Dictatorship Group comprising 20 members, most from the north-eastern provinces, Chaturon said this group had been formed in a bid to bring the Thai Rak Thai together and establish a party later. Thai Rak Thai group member Kuthep Saikrachang said he suspected there was a movement to exterminate Thai Rak Thai because his group was banned from registering as a party. "We will continue our attack against the unjustified ban. I could not believe they have such a complicated plan in place to destroy us," he said. Chat Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa yesterday expressed concern that the lifting of the ban on political activities would result in street protests because former MPs could hire "mobsters" to create unrest. "The protestors are factory workers who are hired for Bt1,000 a day to gather in Bangkok. This situation may intensify and the Constitution cannot be imposed. I do not agree with such gatherings now," he said. Constitution Drafting Committee chairman, Prasong Soonsiri said yesterday it was up to the Assembly and not the Cabinet as to whether they would amend the law in regard to the deregulation of the announcement of Council for Democratic Reform No 15 in three readings. He said it would take at least 60 days for the dissolved parties to register a new party because the Election Commission had to clear its assets.
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