EDITORIAL
In a dramatic coincidence, a series of simmering political cases are about to come to a head in the next three weeks. The high-profile verdicts start today. The election cases division of the Supreme Court has scheduled the announcement of a verdict in the electoral fraud case of former House speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat. A half dozen more important cases will be in the spotlight. Then, on the last day of the month, Khunying Potjaman Shinawatra will hear the ruling in the first case to reach a verdict from the days of the Thaksin government.
The judges of the various courts will present their verdicts in these cases in a composed and dignified courtroom. It is important for all to realise - now, before the verdicts are announced - that the courts have a special place in such circumstances. They have two roles at once. The courts and their judges are vital parts of the system of checks and balances which make up any democratic system. But they also are the thoughtful section of the system. Far more than politicians, and more than the public, the judges carefully weigh all input to the case under examination.
The cases now about to reach court verdicts begin with Mr Yongyuth's today. He was accused, red-carded and found guilty by the Election Commission of dirty tricks including bribery in the general election of last Dec 23. At the Supreme Court, he is charged with bribing a kamnan in Mae Chan district of his native Chiang Rai province, to help his own election campaign and those of other candidates of the People Power party. His sister, Ms La-ong, received a yellow card.
The case is crucial to electoral procedure but its importance goes much deeper. Should the verdict go against Mr Yongyuth today - the PPP, its senior members and the government will all be at risk. Because Mr Yongyuth was a PPP executive when the alleged offences occurred, the entire party could be ordered dissolved. All executives could be barred from politics for five years.
Also coming, tomorrow, is the verdict on whether Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab - an influential PPP financier - cheated by failing to declare that his wife owns more than 5% of a company. If so, he can be thrown out of the cabinet.
Due soon is the verdict in the long-running Klong Dan wastewater treatment scandal, a case with major political implications.
On July 28, the criminal division of the Supreme Court for holders of political positions will rule on whether to proceed with malfeasance charges against ex-premier Thaksin, his entire cabinet and other officials. Allegedly they broke a number of government regulations when they set up the two- and three-digit lottery. If the court accepts to hear the case, three current cabinet members will have to step down to face that music: Finance Minister Surapong Suebwonglee, Labour Minister Uraiwan Thienthong and Deputy Transport Minister Anurak Jureemart. Three days later, Mr Thaksin's wife Khunying Potjaman and her step-brother Bannapot Damapong will face the court to hear the verdict on charges of tax evasion.
There is a single duty for those who support and those who do not like the verdicts: Accept them. Rule of law is vital if democracy is to prevail. Defiance of the law - as some misguided PAD supporters attempted after being ordered to open main roads - is unacceptable. One need not agree with a court decision to accept it respectfully. In these cases and in others coming before the courts, the time for noisy disagreement is over when the judges announce their verdicts.
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