Thai court opens trial against ruling Democrat Party

BANGKOK: Thailand’s Constitutional Court held its first hearing Monday in a case of alleged misuse of a state grant by the ruling Democrat Party, which faces possible dissolution.

The Election Commission in April called for the party of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to be abolished over allegations of misuse of a 29 million baht (900,000 dollars) state grant as well as an undeclared political donation.

Executives in the Democrat Party, the country’s oldest, including Abhisit risk being banned from politics for five years.

The Department of Special Investigation has set up a joint investigation team with state prosecutors to gather evidence in the two cases, Police Lieutenant Colonel Worachai Arakrat told the court.

Channel NewsAsia