BANGKOK, March 21 – Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai Party today issued a statement opposing the Constitutional Court ruling’s to nullify the Feb 2 election, saying the charter court has no authority to accept the case for consideration.
The move of the Pheu Thai Party came as the Constitutional Court ruled six against three votes to nullify the election, reasoning a failure to hold the balloting nationwide on the same day as stipulated by the Constitution.
Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit said that the Ombudsman had no authority to forward the issue concerning the validity of the election for the charter court’s consideration, while the court also had no authority to accept such request.
Mr Prompong said the court’s decision has caused problems to the public and that despite the new election to be held, the election might be invalid again if there are disruptions like that on Feb 2.
The spokesman said the Pheu Thai Party is planning to file charges against the Democrat Party, PDRC leader Suthep Thaugsuban and the Election Commission (EC) for their roles which led to the invalidity of the election, causing the state to lose Bt3 billion of budget in holding the polling.
He said the party will ask its MP candidates nationwide to seek compensations for damages which have been caused to them as a result of the court ruling.
Meanwhile, the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) today said that the group will continue its demonstration pressuring for reform before election.
PDRC spokesman Akanat Prompan said the PDRC will discuss again on its next move, but said that this is a good opportunity to push ahead political reform before holding the new election which may take around five to six months.
