Deputy Leader Of The People Power Party To Stand Trial For Attempted Murder

[John K]

It is not to hard to imagine the way Mr. Y got his witnesses to testify seeing is how they appeared to be non existent just a week or 2 ago.

[Jai Dee]

EC says it does not expedite investigation of allegations against approved MPs

The Election Commission (EC) affirms it does not accelerate investigation of allegations against members of the parliament it already approved.

EC Chairman Apichart Sukhagganond (อภิชาต สุขัคคานนท์) says there are more than 21 cases being investigated by EC. He adds that the central commission is waiting for investigation results from the provincial ECs and affirms all electoral fraud case will be closed within February.

Regarding the case of Parliament Spokesman Yongyuth Tiyaphairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช), the chairman says it is under the responsibility of the EC subcommittee chaired by Suwit Theeraphong (สุวิทย์ ธีรพงษ์). As for Mr Yongyuth’s request for interrogation with 10 more witnesses, he says it depends on the subcommittee whether to approve the request.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 05 February 2008

[sriracha john]

EC's Sub-Panel Empowered to Decide on House Speaker's Case

The chairman of the Election Commission expects that the rulings on the backlog of poll fraud cases against the newly endorsed MPs can be made within the month. He also insists that the decision on whether to question more witnesses in regards to the charge against the House Speaker rests with the sub-panel responsible for the matter.

Chairman of the Election Commission or EC Apichart Sukkhagganond states his panel is speeding up its investigations into the backlog of 21 charges against the newly-endorsed MPs.

Apichart also insists that the EC has no intention of delaying its investigations but says that it must wait for the initial examination of results from the provincial poll panels. He believes the rulings on the pending cases will be released this month.

As for the investigation into the poll fraud charge against the House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat, the EC Chairman points out that the case is under the responsibility of the sub-panel chaired by Suwit Theerapong and adds that the panel's conclusions will be forwarded to the poll panel as soon as possible.

Apichart also points out that the decision on whether to meet Yongyuth's requests over an addition of ten new witnesses and the authenticity of the VCDs related to his vote-buying charge solely rests with Suwit's sub-panel.

In the meantime, Election Commissioner on political parties' affairs Sodsri Satayatham gives an update on the investigation into the dissolution of the Chart Thai and the Matchima Thipataya parties, revealing that the sub-panel looking into the issue will meet for the first time on Thursday to lay down the framework for their investigation.

She is confident that the panel will be able to conclude the case by the end of February as it only has to consider Article 103 of the Constitution's Organic Bill on the election of MPs and senators and Article 94 of the Organic Bill on political parties. The panel will have to consider whether the electoral fraud, committed by members of the board of both party's, warrants a disbandment of the parties.

- Thailand Outlook

[John K]

ELECTION FRAUD

Ban for speaker looms

EC committee finding puts Yongyuth in a precarious spot

House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat was yesterday found to have been involved in electoral fraud by an ad hoc Election Commission panel.

The finding could put him on the brink of being disqualified, if the commission proper upholds the finding.

His People Power Party could be dissolved, too, if found to have backed him in the act.

Suvit Theera-pong led the panel. Yongyuth was a close aide of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Yongyuth committed the alleged fraud when standing in the general election as a party-list candidate in Zone 1, which covers Chiang Rai.

The Suvit-panel will send its findings to the full commission for consideration.

Should it endorse them, Yongyuth will have to fight the charges in a mandatory trial in the Supreme Court. There is no parliamentary immunity for offences under electoral law.

A panel source said 10 kamnans insisted they had received Bt20,000 each from Yongyuth.

If the Supreme Court accepts a petition from the five election commissioners, Yongyuth must step down as House Speaker. If the court rules Yongyuth guilty, he must also be disqualified as a member of Parliament.

The commission will now establish a committee to investigate the People Power Party for involvement in Yongyuth's alleged offences. If the commission finds so, it will ask the Constitution Court to rule on whether the party should be dissolved.

Yongyuth appeared shocked by the panel's findings, and that the news media had discovered the result before he did.

"The document was leaked, otherwise why didn't I know the result," he asked. However, he was confident of his innocence.

"It is a set-up to involve me in electoral fraud. I will not say anything today, but the truth will reveal who is behind the scenes," he said, adding that

a 'red card' would not affect his position.

Commission chairman Apichart Sukhagganond said it had yet to read the panel's findings.

Meanwhile, three People Power members of Parliament for Phetchabun were given yellow cards for their involvement in electoral fraud, according to commission secretary-general Suthiphon Thaveechaiygarn.

It will submit these cases to the Supreme Court within the next two weeks.

Atthayuth Butrsripoom

The Nation

[sriracha john]

Ouch...

Better find some refrigerators to hide behind....

Yongyuth Tiyaphairat

Probe panel finds close Thaksin aide violated election law

BANGKOK: A sub-committee under the Election Commission in charge of probing electoral fraud charges against House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyaphairat has finished its task and will hand over its findings to the polling agency early next week.

Sub-committee head Suvit Thirapong said his panel had finished its probe of the allegations that Yongyuth had been involved in the handing out of cash to several sub-district chief kamnan and village heads in Chiang Rai during the run-up to the December 23 general election in which he contested proportionate votes under the People Power Party ticket.

The sub-committee said 10 village and sub-district chiefs of the northern province had testified coherently with the earlier questionings conducted by the Special Branch police that each of them had been given 20,000 baht in cash in exchange for their villagers' votes for Yongyuth, who is concurrently Deputy Leader of the People Power Party.

Election Commission Chief Aphichart Sukhagganond declined to comment on the matter while Yongyuth looked appalled by the reported progress of the electoral fraud investigation against him.

The House Speaker declined to comment on rumours that he might be given a red card which will make him disqualified to seek re-election in a subsequent by-election in his Chiang Rai constituency.

Yongyuth said he had been framed by persons who had merely aimed to see him defaulted with such electoral rigging charges.

Sources in the polling agency said Yongyuth would not only lose his MP status and be prohibited from rerunning in a by-election, but also lose his House Speaker status if the Election Commission decided to seek a red card for him and the Supreme Court finally found him guilty as charged.

In addition, the PPP could be dissolved if the Supreme Court held the whole executive board of the ruling party, including Party Leader and Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, responsible for Yongyuth's alleged wrongdoing.

On those counts, all PPP executive members who are currently part of the Samak cabinet -- as well as the Prime Minister himself -- would automatically lose their ministerial status and be banned from political activity for five years.

Yongyuth held several posts under the Thaksin administration, including Government Spokesman and Environment Minister, and served as one of Thaksin's top advisers.

- TNA

Edited February 14, 2008 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Panel says Yongyuth a poll cheat

Could end up stripped of House Speaker's job

The EC's sub-committee investigating House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat has found him guilty of electoral fraud, marking the onset of a process which could see him stripped of the House Speaker's post. The panel, headed by former Constitution Court judge Suwit Thirapong, ruled that Yongyuth violated election law by bribing local administrators to campaign for votes for the People Power Party (PPP). Suwit said the witnesses, all local administration officials, stood by their statements given to a team of investigators. "The tambon and village heads who were invited [to meet Yongyuth at a hotel in Bangkok] stick to their statements,'' he said. Yongyuth was accused of paying the local leaders 20,000 baht each to influence them to campaign for the PPP in the Dec 23 election and sway the party-list votes in Zone 1. The incident was reportedly recorded on a VCD. The panel will forward its findings to the EC for consideration. If the EC endorses the panel's findings, it will forward the case to the Supreme Court. If and when the case goes to the court, Yongyuth's role as House Speaker would be suspended pending a verdict.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/15Feb2008_news01.php

[Jai Dee]

Mr. Yongyuth confident he can clarify corruption case to EC

Chairman of the House of Representatives Yongyuth Thiyaphairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช) speaking as a member of parliament stated that he has yet received any information concerning the Election Commission’s (EC) decision on allegations of electoral corruption against him.

Mr. Yongyuth is being probed as to whether he committed illegal acts during his candidacy in Chiang Rai leading up to the general election.

Mr. Yongyuth said that he has not been informed by the EC to rule him guilty in the matter but he said he will await the final verdict before taking any action. He also said that he is confident he will be able to clarify any situation to the EC.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 15 Febuary 2008

[Jai Dee]

Thai Panel Finds House Speaker Guilty Of Poll Fraud - Report

A Thai Election Commission panel investigating parliament's speaker Yougyuth Tiyapairat has found him guilty of election fraud, starting a process that could see Yongyuth banned from politics and also trigger an investigation into the coalition government's biggest party, the Bangkok Post reported Friday.

The panel's head, former Constitution Court judge Suwit Thirapong, said witnesses had stood by their earlier statements, given to a team of Special Branch Police investigators, that Yongyuth bribed local administrators to campaign for votes for the People Power Party, the newspaper said.

"The tambon (local administrative subdivision) and village heads who were invited (to meet Mr Yongyuth at a hotel in Bangkok) stick to their statements. The panel has thus reached the same conclusion as the SBP's team that Mr Yongyuth is guilty," he said, according to the report.

If the Election Commission endorses the panel's findings, it will forward the case to the Supreme Court's section on election cases, the report said.

Citing a source close to the panel, the report said the Election Commission is likely to start another investigation to find out if the People Power Party benefited from the fraud, an offense which could lead to the party being dissolved by the Constitution Court.

The People Power Party, backed by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is the largest party in a six-party coalition government formed after Thailand's first elections since a bloodless September 2006 coup.

Source: Dow Jones - 15 February 2008

[John K]

[Old Man River]

There is still an awful long way to go before the PPP can be dissolved. The Yongyuth case has to be forwarded to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court finds him guilty of election fraud, then the EC would have to put a case together showing that the PPP benefited. If they can put such a case together, then it has to be forwarded to the Constitutional Court to decide. This could go on for years with many, many road blocks in place. Too many in my opinion.

[A_Traveller]

^ And one has to add that the view being expressed that disenfranchisement is not a penalty sufficient to stop individuals being named for politically sensitive positions, does not bode well for a reasoned view of the Political Parties Act or even the Constitution being applied going forward.

Regards

[Jai Dee]

PPP to rebut electoral fraud charges on Yongyuth's behalf

The People Power Party is ready to mount a rigorous defence for House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat who has been accused of involving in electoral fraud, party legal adviser Yuenyat Jaisamut said on Friday.

"As things stand, an investigative panel has just drawn a conclusion about Yongyuth's involvement but the Election Commission has yet to review and rule on the issue," he said, voicing optimism that the fivemember EC might not reach a majority decision to endorse the report.

In order to proceed to the trial stage, four out of five EC members must approve the indictments and he believed every EC member would form the decision without any biases,' he said.

If and when the litigation reaches the Supreme Court, the party will step in to assist Yongyuth in rebutting the charges by exposing the frameup attempts, he said.

Source The Nation - 15 February 2008

[Jai Dee]

Mr Noppadon confident House Speaker can explain his allegation

Foreign Affairs Minister and Deputy Secretary-General of the People Power party (PPP), Noppadon Pattama (นพดล ปัทมะ), expresses confidence that the party’s party-list MP and House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช) can explain his electoral fraud allegation to the Election Commission (EC).

Mr Noppadon says the House Speaker has a legal team to assist him in the electoral fraud case. He also expresses his confidence that Mr Yongyuth did not buy votes as he was aware that he is a prominent figure.

The minister also says he believes that the party dissolution cannot be easily done as EC has to prove that the party took part in Mr Yongyuth’s action which violates electora laws.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 15 February 2008

[sriracha john]

PPP to rebut electoral fraud charges on Yongyuth's behalf

The People Power Party is ready to mount a rigorous defence for House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat who has been accused of involving in electoral fraud, party legal adviser Yuenyat Jaisamut said on Friday.

If and when the litigation reaches the Supreme Court, the party will step in to assist Yongyuth in rebutting the charges by exposing the frameup attempts, he said.

Very fascinating and interesting stuff..... Three parties... Three possible dissolution cases... Three different strategies....

1. People Power Party - Band together and fight tooth and nail above.

2. Matchima Thipataya - Quit before you get fired:

Matchima Thipataya's Key Member Calls for Disbandment

Acting Spokesperson of the Matchima Thipataya Party advised the group to disband, if its Secretary-General does not attend the party's meeting on Febuary 16th, as called for by the acting Party Leader.

Former Matchima Thipataya Leader and 12 members quitting party

The Matchima Thipataya Party spokesman, Narong Piriya-anek, says fomer Matchima Thipataya Leader Prachai Leophairatana together with 11 party members submitted their resignation letters to the the Election Commission (EC) this morning (February 15th). The group reason that they could not carry out political activities any longer.

3. Chart Thai - Completely disown the subject of the dissolution

Chart Thai Denies Being Involved in Poll Fraud Charge against Executive

The Election Commission's fact finding panel, looking into the suspension of voting rights of some executives of political parties, is to complete its investigation on Febuary 25th.

Meanwhile, the Chart Thai Party Leader insists his party is not involved in the poll fraud attempts by one of its executives. Leader of the Chart Thai Party, Banharn Silapa-archa, spent more than two hours giving testimony before the Election Commission's fact finding sub-panel looking into the suspension of the voting rights of executives of some political parties.

[John K]

It is a bit like being a kid again chasing ants with a magnifying glass on a sunny day.

[Tony Clifton]

Mr Noppadon confident House Speaker can explain his allegation

Foreign Affairs Minister and Deputy Secretary-General of the People Power party (PPP), Noppadon Pattama (นพดล ปัทมะ), expresses confidence that the party’s party-list MP and House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat (ยงยุทธ ติยะไพรัช) can explain his electoral fraud allegation to the Election Commission (EC).

Mr Noppadon says the House Speaker has a legal team to assist him in the electoral fraud case. He also expresses his confidence that Mr Yongyuth did not buy votes as he was aware that he is a prominent figure.

The minister also says he believes that the party dissolution cannot be easily done as EC has to prove that the party took part in Mr Yongyuth’s action which violates electora laws.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 15 February 2008

Between sleeping, driving to work in Bangkok traffic, eating, restroom breaks, giving interviews to the media bout legal matter concerning other party members, serving Thaksin with all his requests and phone calls and legal matters, how many countries has the Foreign Minister actually been in contact with on a daily basis since day 1? Is there any time at all left to devote to his own ministry, at the end of the day?

[A_Traveller]

I guess given his multiple positions, Deputy Secretary-General of the People Power party, takes precedence over the mere formality of being the Kingdom's Foreign Minister.

Regards

/edit typo//

Edited February 15, 2008 by A_Traveller

[soundman]

Ouch...

Better find some refrigerators to hide behind....

Yongyuth Tiyaphairat

I wonder if this guy did anything at all to deserve all the medals, white dress suit and epaulettes he is wearing.

[Tony Clifton]

I wonder if this guy did anything at all to deserve all the medals, white dress suit and epaulettes he is wearing.

Remove string and bling from that shirt and he can be recycled as???

A PTV member!

Shirt is also reversible for suddenly joining any party.

Edited February 15, 2008 by Tony Clifton

[sriracha john]

House Speaker denies electoral fraud; claims he was framed

BANGKOK – House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat repeatedly dismissed allegations that he had been involved in the bribing of local leaders in Chiang Rai province where he contested a parliamentary seat under the People Power Party banner.

Yongyuth was quoted as saying he had been framed by a conspiracy of unidentified people who aimed to have the ruling party dissolved by court action.

Deputy PPP Leader Kant Thiankaew distributed a statement made by the House Speaker at Parliament and made explanations in defense of Yongyuth who was alleged to have been involved in handing out 20,000 baht in cash to each of 10 sub-district chiefs and village heads in exchange for votes from their villagers.

Such accusations would unduly discredit and damage the House Speaker as well as the PPP itself, confuse the public and divide society, the ruling Deputy Party Leader said. Until the Supreme Court makes a final ruling on the case, Yongyuth is legally considered innocent and is regarded as House Speaker, he said.

The Election Commission is expected to pass a ruling on the electoral rigging charges against Yongyuth next week and to forward the case to the Supreme Court for final judgment if the House speaker was found guilty as charged.

Kant said a person, identified as Chaiwat Changkhaokham, had tricked the local leaders into falsely testifying against Yongyuth during their testimonies to a sub-committee of the Election Commission.

The local leaders had earlier been questioned by a group of police officers led by deputy Special Branch police commissioner Pol. Maj-Gen. Chaiya Siriamphankul who, Kant said, was personally loyal to an unidentified military officer, who was known to have close connections with anti-Thaksin media mogul Sonthi Limthongkul.

The Deputy PPP Leader added that Gen. Chaiya had not only conspired among others to damage Yongyuth and the PPP, but also that he had been well aware of the doctoring of a maliciously circulated CD which groundlessly accused the House speaker over the electoral fraud charges.

- TNA

[John K]

Sounds like the franticness of a trapped animal if you ask me.

[sriracha john]

I see Samak is a big fan of Doris Day... Que Sera Sera

Samak 'cool' as Yongyuth verdict looms

Shrugs off case that may see PPP dissolved

PM Samak has shrugged off House Speaker Yongyuth's election fraud case that could lead to the dissolution of the PPP, saying "whatever will be, will be." He said he would just take it as fate if the case brought about the dissolution of the party. "It will be the end [if the party is disbanded]. I don't know what to do. There is nothing I can do. We can find a new party. The party executives will be finished. There will be chaos for a while," said Samak. Samak also said he believed Yongyuth's comment that he had been framed. "If the country has to face that fate and returns to a melee, so be it. Whatever will be, will be," he said. The EC is expected to rule on the fate of the House Speaker within next week.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/16Feb2008_news11.php

[sriracha john]

Foreign Minister: Probe of House Speaker won't affect investor confidence

BANGKOK - Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said Saturday that the ongoing investigation of House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat's election fraud case would not affect foreign investor confidence in Thailand.

The investigation will take some time before it can be completed, Noppadon said, adding that he himself believed Yongyuth to be innocent.

Yongyuth, former Deputy Leader the of People Power Party, which forms the core of the six-party coalition government, earlier said he had been framed by a conspiracy of unidentified persons who wished to have the ruling party dissolved by court action.

The Election Commission is to rule on the fate of Yongyuth next week.

Stressing that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is not a nominee of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the Foreign Minister urged the public to allow the current government to work for between three to six months before they could see its performance.

- TNA

[Tony Clifton]

I see Samak is a big fan of Doris Day... Que Sera Sera

Samak 'cool' as Yongyuth verdict looms

Shrugs off case that may see PPP dissolved

PM Samak has shrugged off House Speaker Yongyuth's election fraud case that could lead to the dissolution of the PPP, saying "whatever will be, will be." He said he would just take it as fate if the case brought about the dissolution of the party. "It will be the end [if the party is disbanded]. I don't know what to do. There is nothing I can do. We can find a new party. The party executives will be finished. There will be chaos for a while," said Samak. Samak also said he believed Yongyuth's comment that he had been framed. "If the country has to face that fate and returns to a melee, so be it. Whatever will be, will be," he said. The EC is expected to rule on the fate of the House Speaker within next week.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/16Feb2008_news11.php

I see their attitude and tolerance towards convenient violence hasn't changed one bit.

[sriracha john]

Are we to read that he's admitting his side is spreading lies as well???

House Speaker calls on all sides to halt spreadijng false information

House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat requested all sides to end promulgations of false information concerning allegations of the electoral fraud filed against him by the Election Commission (EC).

Yongyuth also called for ill-intentioned people to stop giving negative information about him and says he has already forgiven all.

The House Speaker states further that the country’s political situation has returned to normal and all political cases proceed in line with the justice system.

- ThaiNews

============================================

There's a "line" at Justice all right... there's so many cases with all these yoohoos.

[Tony Clifton]

Yongyuth also called for ill-intentioned people to stop giving negative information about him and says he has already forgiven all.

Circus clown

Edited February 18, 2008 by Tony Clifton

[John K]

I wonder if how violent he will make things over the next few days as he continues to try to prove he is a nice guy and is completely innocent of the allegations.

[sriracha john]

Tomorrow's the day...

The trial of Yongyuth

The full EC will meet on Tuesday to consider election rigging charges which could see House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat kicked out of parliament - and even the People Power party terminated. Yongyuth has forcefully denied charges of vote-buying in his Chiang Rai province, and claimed that evidence has been rigged against him. The case was brought even further into the limelight on Sunday, when Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said an "invisible hand" was trying to break up the government and PPP, citing the Yongyuth case as one example of the conspiracy. Chief EC Commissioner Apichart Sukhakkanont promised his agency will handle the charges against the House Speaker in a scrupulous fashion. The hearing could last more than one day, but was put on the EC agenda as an urgent case. The EC no longer has the power to "red-card" election candidates and winning MPs, but must file charges at the Supreme Court, which decides such cases as Yongyuth's - assuming it goes that far. An EC sub-committee has found Yongyuth guilty as charged.

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.net/topstories/tops...s.php?id=126007

[Bryan in Isaan]

There is still an awful long way to go before the PPP can be dissolved. The Yongyuth case has to be forwarded to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court finds him guilty of election fraud, then the EC would have to put a case together showing that the PPP benefited. If they can put such a case together, then it has to be forwarded to the Constitutional Court to decide. This could go on for years with many, many road blocks in place. Too many in my opinion.

It should take a long time. In other democracies this is called due process. It is not a light thing to overthrow the vote of the people.

[John K]

There is still an awful long way to go before the PPP can be dissolved. The Yongyuth case has to be forwarded to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court finds him guilty of election fraud, then the EC would have to put a case together showing that the PPP benefited. If they can put such a case together, then it has to be forwarded to the Constitutional Court to decide. This could go on for years with many, many road blocks in place. Too many in my opinion.

It should take a long time. In other democracies this is called due process. It is not a light thing to overthrow the vote of the people.

No it is not, however it is part of the constitution the people voted for. As I recall Thaksin’s people were very busy in Isaan trying to shoot the constitution down and Isaan was about the only part of the country that did not approve it. Probably because Thaksin’s people knew they could and would not play by the rules. This apparently is the result of that inability to play by the rules. So essentially the Thais have already approved if the PPP go down. They want a good government and not one who cant be in office more than a few days without violation of the laws. Did I forget to mention this group was already banned once and should not even be there to begin with.