EC approves New Politics party

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EC approves New Politics party
25/06/2009

The Election Commission has approved the registration of the New Politics Party set up by the People's Alliance for Democracy.


File photo shows anti-government protesters during a demonstration at Suvarnabhumi international airport in Bangkok. Thailand's election commission has approved a new political party set up by the 'Yellow Shirt' protest movement which blockaded the capital's airports last year, a spokesman for the body has said.

The PAD filed application for registration of the party three weeks ago, after three years of street-level activism.

"The commissioners have now approved the registration of the New Politics Party. It's a unanimous decision as the submitted documents were considered to fully comply with the law," EC spokesman Ruengroj Chomsueb said on Thursday.

The party must now find 5,000 members and set up four regional offices within one year, he said.

The PAD helped topple prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra with mass rallies in 2006 and reformed with tens of thousands of yellow-clad supporters last year to protest against his allies in government.

The 2008 demonstrations peaked in the seizure of Bangkok's two main airports in late November-early December, which left more than 300,000 travellers stranded in Thailand for more than a week and caused massive economic damage.

The New Politics Party said its aim is to promote a "clean politics" free from corruption and symbolised by adding green to the yellow of its group logo.

New Politics secretary-general and PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila said PAD activists would continue to fight alongside the party.

"Our five PAD leaders will remain a strong driving force to pursue our goals while we use our political party as a tool in the main arena," Suriyasai told a news conference.

As the PAD, the group had the support of Bangkok's elite and circles in the palace, military and bureaucracy, who loathed Thaksin. Thaksin is currently in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail sentence for abuse of authority while in office.

The rival red-shirts, mostly loyal to Thaksin, plan a mass rally in Bangkok on Saturday. In April they forced the cancellation of a major Asian summit and then rioted for two days in Bangkok.

The PAD has also asked why no progress has been made in the police investigation into the attempt on Sondhi Limthongkul's life on April 17 - and offered at least one reason.

PAD leaders Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, Somsak Kosaisuk and Pibhop Dhongchai and Mr Suriyasai made the point at a press conference, stressing that it was now more than two months since the attack.

However, police investigators led by Pol Gen Tanee Somboonsap, the deputy police chief, had made little or no progress.

Mr Suriyasai said the PAD became worried after Pol Gen Tanee admitted a few days ago that his team had hit a stumbling block.

He was firm in the belief that the ambush of Mr Sondhi's van by gunmen in Bangkok on May 17 was the work of men in uniform, but he was not sure if they were a combined team of police and soldiers, according to Mr Suriyasai.

However, the PAD had reliable information that a general had threatened some investigators to stop their inquiries or their promotions would be blocked, Mr Suriyasai said.

He called for national police chief Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuban, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who oversees the police, and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to attach more importance to the case.

Mr Pibhop said he and Maj-Gen Chamlong would on Friday go to the office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission to ask Panthep Klanarongran, the chairman, why the investigation into the police crackdown on PAD protesters in front of parliament on Oct 7 last year has not been completed.

It was necessary that the investigators' findings be revealed publicly, as many people were killed and wounded in the incident, he said.

bangkokpost.com

[BrucefarmerFANG]

If Mr.. A talks to Mr.B and they talk with Mr. C and they Rule Thailand , Then I say 'Thankyou for having me " The Politics of the Thai People are NOT a subject of my concern . If Thais decide not to like me , then I will go . The Thai climate suits me, but so do othe ASEAN Countries !