Chart Thai dismisses tape as fake

Charnchai blasted for playing games

A taped vote-buying conversation between two senior members of the Chart Thai party was not genuine, said the chairman of a Chart Thai fact-finding panel probing its authenticity.

Pol Lt-Gen Viroj Pao-in also blasted Charnchai Issarasenarak, a former Democrat MP for Nakhon Nayok, for trying to discredit the party by playing political games.

The conversation is allegedly between Chart Thai deputy leader Somsak Prisanananthakul and Sithichai Kittithanesuan, about their intention to buy votes in Nakhon Nayok for 200 baht each.

"The rivalry in the province between Mr Sithichai's family and Mr Charnchai's family has been going on a long time. So we have to take all allegations made by each party more seriously," Pol Lt-Gen Viroj said.

On Friday, Mr Charnchai said he had more evidence proving senior Chart Thai figures were involved in election fraud. He declined to say if party leader Banharn Silpa-archa was one of them.

Mr Charnchai said he would present the Election Commission with tapes recorded on Oct 26 and Nov 13 last year. One of the tapes was recorded at a Chart Thai meeting in which leading members planned vote-buying strategies, and the other recorded during a gathering organised for canvassers.

Mr Charnchai said he bought the tapes from a Chart Thai member who was dissatisfied with the party.

Pol Lt-Gen Viroj said he would ask the Democrat to hand over all alleged recordings for scrutiny.

"It is impossible the tapes contain events in which Chart Thai members discussed vote-buying tactics since no such events ever took place," he said.

Pol Lt-Gen Viroj said he was unable to get the tape of the alleged conversation between Mr Somsak and Mr Sithichai, which Channel 5 aired on June 30 and later submitted to the commission.

"If Channel 5 remains silent, all Chart Thai can do is wait for the outcome of the commission's investigation. We believe in the commission's political impartiality," he said.

The tape is now being studied by an ad hoc panel chaired by Vijit Yusuparp, secretary-general of the commission.