DEMOCRATS / 61ST ANNIVERSARY, DISSOLUTION CASE

Abhisit confident in party's future

Supawadee Inthawong

Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was confident yesterday his party would escape dissolution and vowed to contribute wisely to the country in times of crisis during his speech to mark the 61st anniversary of the party's founding.

Mr Abhisit said the party was undeterred by the possibility of dissolution and believed that it would still be functioning after the May 30 court ruling on its fate.

"The party will have to work harder from now so that the country can benefit even more from it.

"Even if political activities are banned at the moment, the party cannot stop working. Of most concern now is the situation in the deep South and insurgent attempts to create religious rifts," Mr Abhisit said.

He said the first thing leading Democrat party members will do is immediately take a tour of the restive South after the ban on political activities is lifted.

The Democrat leadership also reproached the Council for National Security (CNS) for its failure to carry out political reform as promised when it seized power in the coup six months ago.

"The party believes the country should be run by career politicians, not amateurs as has been the case in the past five years. They were a complete flop, and all we got from them was the current national crisis.

"The career politicians should take the helm like in other democratic countries worldwide because they know the plight of citizens very well and can set a better direction for problem-solving in line with public needs," said Mr Abhisit.

He expressed confidence the party could help bring the country out of this political storm given its long commitment throughout its 60-year history.

The anniversary party was abuzz with both current and former party members and representatives of other parties sent to offer their best wishes.

Aside from Mr Abhisit, another speaker was party chief adviser Chuan Leekpai who accused the deposed Thaksin Shinawatra administration of putting his party at the brink of dissolution.

He said if Mr Thaksin had not come to power, his party would not have been ensnared in the party dissolution case.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Saturday April 07, 2007