Thai Ruling Party Overspent On Billboard Ads, Court Hears

[webfact]

Thai ruling party overspent on billboard ads, court hears

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thai election officials, seeking the dissolution of the ruling Democrats, told a court Monday that the party had overspent its approved allowance on billboard campaign advertisements.

The country's Election Commission (EC) in April called for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's party to be abolished for alleged misuse of a 29-million-baht (900,000-dollar) state grant as well as an undeclared political donation.

Executives in the Democrat Party, the country's oldest, including Abhisit risk being banned from politics for five years.

EC deputy secretary general Thanit Sriprathet told the Constitutional Court that the Democrats had approval to spend 19 million baht on billboard advertising but they had paid an advertisement company 23 million baht.

"According to political party laws, a political party has to spend money on projects that were approved," he said.

The call in April to dissolve the party came during a tense standoff between the government and "Red Shirt" protesters that descended into violence which left 91 people dead and almost 1,900 injured during two months of unrest.

The Red Shirts accuse the government of being undemocratic because it came to power in 2008 after the Constitutional Court ousted allies of their hero, ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

During the hearing, Democrat lawyer Bandit Siriphan tried to prove that the EC's decision to pursue the case against the party was taken because of threats by Red Shirt opposition protesters, who rallied outside its offices.

Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan, who faces charges of terrorism for his role in the demonstrations, attended the hearing as a spectator.

"We didn't come to pressure the court. We came here for a case study in the event that our party is disbanded," Jatuporn, who as a lawmaker is free thanks to his parliamentary immunity, told reporters.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-08-23

[rubl]

I vaguely remember that in the minor case of 'billboard advertising' the posted boards were said to be smaller that the official dictate. Now here it says 'spent 23Mb where 19Mb was approved'.

Interesting to say the least.

PS minor as compared to the almost 300Mb donation case.

Edited August 23, 2010 by rubl

[way2muchcoffee]

The rules are the rules. If they are found guilty and dissolution is mandated by law than that is what must happen. If they are found guilty and dissolution is only an option then the judges will exercise discretion and do what they feel is appropriate. If they are found not guilty then that's it, at least with respect to this case.

Edited August 23, 2010 by way2muchcoffee