Details of massive fraud of Thailand's April 2 general elections are now emerging as the Chairman of Election Commission (EC) has flown to Sydney for a "break", leaving the TRT leader Thaksin Shinawatra alone facing the possible five-year ban from politics.

The embattled EC on Thursday came under intense pressure after an investigative panel implicated a major electoral fraud by the Thai Rak Thai Party that could see the party dissolved and its leader Thaksin Shinawatra banned from politics for five years.

The EC, in hot water since the Constitution Court nullified the April 2 snap election earlier this week, now must respond swiftly to the investigative panel's recommendation that Thaksin be charged for "hiring" small parties to contest the April 2 vote.

The offense is punishable by the party's dissolution. Article 69 of Thai Constitution also bans executives of the dissolved party from forming a new party or holding office in another party for five years.

The panel's report, containing damning details, bank transaction evidence as well as compelling testimony from witnesses, was submitted to EC chairman Vasana Puemlarp on Monday. Vasana left for Sydney, Australia Thursday night, saying he wanted to visit his son who is studying there. He is scheduled to return on next Tuesday.

The report contains explicit details about how Thai Rak Thai leaders allegedly approached the heads of the small parties and devised a scam to change official information on party membership registration in order to allow unqualified candidates to run as Thai Rak Thai "competitors" in the April 2 election. The report details various occasions when money was paid to the parties' leaders and the candidates.

Talking to media reporters over the phone, Vasana said he could not comment as he had not yet read the report. "Please do not ask me about work. It is not convenient as I am upcountry. Wait till I'm back at work. I have not read the investigation files," he said.

Thaksin declined to comment on what has been labelled "TRT gate".

The panel's findings sent the Thai Rak Thai Party into turmoil. Deputy spokesman Pimuk Simarot said the findings were just a preliminary investigation and the EC had yet to further investigate and conclude the case. Deputy leader General Thamarak Isarangura and deputy secretary Pongsak Raktapongpaisal, who were implicated in the alleged fraud, are preparing information to defend the party.

"Our party is not involved in the allegation," Pimuk said. "The allegation is directed at individuals. The people accused must clarify themselves."

EC secretary-general Ekachai Warunprapa asked how the panel's findings were leaked to the media.

Ekachai said he could not confirm whether what was leaked to the media was in fact the findings of the panel. The EC is expected to discuss the case on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the commissioners must meet and discuss the case as soon as possible.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2006)