Thai PM voices preparedness for "political change"

BANGKOK, Aug. 24 -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Monday that he will not cling to his post as party leader and was ready for, if any, political changes, including party dissolution.

Thai language news agency Matichon Online quoted the premier assaying this at Government House to a group of politicians who was attending a training course on political development.

When asked what if the Democrat Party, of which he is a leader, is dissolved, Abhisit said even though he might become the opposition leader, or the Democrat Party might want to change the leader in the future, he will continue his MP status only with the Democrat Party until he stops his political career.

The question was raised by a member of the opposition party as Abhisit's party, which serves as the biggest ruling party in the coalition government, faced a possibility of dissolution.

The Democrat party was accused of illegally receiving a donation of baht 258 million (7.58 million U.S. dollars) from a listed company and had abused the Election Commission's (EC) party development fund worth baht 29 million (0.85 million U.S. dollars).

About the verdict, the prime minister said he is ready to accept it as long as it is made with justice.

EC member Sodsri Satayatham said on Aug. 12 that the commission is likely to decide within this month whether to seek a court verdict for dissolution of the party over the allegation.

Sodsri said that based on information from the EC's investigative team, the five election commissioners would decide whether the Democrat Party had illegally obtained 258 million baht(7.58 million U.S. dollars) in political donations from TPI Poleneas had been alleged, and whether the party had misused the 29 million baht (852,455 dollars) in the Political Party Development Fund obtained from the EC.

A source, however, said on Aug. 15 that the EC sub-committee probing the allegation has ruled in favor of the party and filed their decision to EC.

The sub-committee voted three to two on that day that the donation issue was a personal matter which did not involve the party, Bangkok Post quoted the unnamed source as saying.

Failure to report political donations and misuse of funds obtained from the EC contravened the country's Political Party Act and the offences could cause the political party registrar, a position held by the EC chairman, to petition the Constitution Court to disband the violating party.