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Published on January 19, 2008

The Election Commission (EC) alone is sanctioned to seek Supreme Court consideration of allegations that the People Power Party is a nominee of the banned Thai Rak Thai, the court said yesterday.

It ruled the commission was the only body permitted by election law to ask the court to determine if the victorious party had broken the law, thereby leaving the PPP free to form a coalition government next week.

"Only the Election Commission has the power [to file a case]," said the ruling, delivered yesterday afternoon.

It rejected arguments from former Democrat candidate Chaiwat Sinsuwong that the PPP should be disqualified for election breaches.

Earlier in the day Chaiwat resigned from the party after he rejected Democrat leaders' demands he withdraw his allegations.

He put a brave face on his defeat, saying he would seek other avenues to have his day in court.

He said the ruling did not consider the question of the status of the PPP as a nominee of the Thai Rak Thai; it simply said it was not within the court's jurisdiction.

He was unable to explain why the commission had ignored his allegations about the distribution of video discs featuring banned politician Thaksin Shinawatra, distributed during the campaign and that the PPP had used the same address as the headquarters of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai.

He said: "We must respect the Election Commission. It's now their responsibility".

Yesterday's court ruling also said the commission was authorised to organise advance polling a week ahead of the general election proper.

This meant defeat for Chaiwat on another of his arguments, as well as for a similar petition by New Aspiration Party member Sarawut Thongpen.

The court was filled with both pro-Thaksin groups and those who oppose the former prime minister.

Among the anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy members was 70-year-old Rittirong Theochinda.

In August last year he was harassed and attacked by security men when he shouted: "Thaksin get out!" as the then leader attended a function at CentralWorld.

He told The Nation ahead of the one-hour reading his fears for his safety under a PPP-led coalition government.

These were almost borne out as he left the court. He was spotted by pro-Thaksin groups, who yelled abuse at him.

The senior citizen was escorted through the throng by police, who managed to get him into a departing tuk-tuk. He was jostled.

Rittirong's face was splashed across newspapers at the time of the CentralWorld incident.

 Pravit Rojanaphruk

 The Nation