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BANGKOK - THAILAND'S Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a vote fraud case against the speaker of parliament, which could lead to the sacking of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra's close ally.
Yongyut Tiyapairat is accused of bribing local officials in northern Thailand during his campaign for the People Power Party (PPP), which went on to win December elections and form a coalition government.
The former environment minister denies the claims, but after the polls the Election Commission (EC) - which was appointed by the junta that overthrew Mr Thaksin in 2006 - ruled that the charges should go to the Supreme Court.
'The court has decided to hear the case and will send a letter to Yongyut Tiyapairat and (his sister) Laong Tiyapairat to come and pick up a copy of the charges within seven days,' a Supreme Court statement said.
Yongyut's secretary Garn Teinkao told reporters that his boss would send a representative to pick up the charges, and accused the EC of bias.
'The EC is not neutral. The commission has has not done its job,' he said.
'The EC has it clear in their mind that they want to dissolve the PPP.'
If convicted, PPP executive Yongyut could be stripped of his seat in parliament.
A conviction could also open the door to a broader investigation by the EC into the operations of the PPP itself.
That would be a risky development for the party, which supporters of Mr Thaksin built up in less than a year to contest the December elections.
Mr Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai party was disbanded by a military-appointed tribunal in the wake of the coup. The PPP could face a similar fate if the EC decided to keep pursuing the case.
Yongyut, 47, was instrumental in building Thaksin's support in rural areas, particularly among poor farmers whose support also helped propel the PPP to victory on Dec 23. -- AFP
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