Democrats await green light from NCPO to hold activities

BANGKOK, Dec 12 (TNA) -- Reiterating that there is a need for political parties to hold certain activities without affecting national security, the Democrat Party, the oldest political party in Thailand, has requested the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to allow it to hold a party meeting, said a deputy leader of the Democrat Party. Ong-art Klampaiboon told journalists that the Democrat Party had submitted the request to the NCPO asking it to allow the party to organise a meeting and is now awaiting a reply from it. NCPO leaders staged the May 22, 2014 bloodless coup in Thailand and political parties are now allowed to hold a political gathering since then. The Democrat Party wants to hold a meeting for its members to select candidates contesting in rural areas, a request on donation for the party, on solving problems prevailing in Bangkok and on alleged corruption within the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The Democrat Party is still unable to contact BMA governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra, a senior member of the Democrat Party, while senior administrators of the City Hall have not yet explained on BMA budget spending which have led to social suspicion, said Mr Ong-art. If the party cannot hold a meeting and settle this problem, it could tarnish the image of the party because the BMA governor is a senior member of the party. The party is now awaiting a reply from the NCPO on the request, he added. (TNA)