Election for Democrat leader put off after party fails to make quorum

He also explained that he had not proposed the delay for the sake of Abhisit to return as leader once it is certain that the Democrat Party will become part of the opposition.

However, Ongart’s proposal failed to win enough support.

The meeting was then shifted to behind closed doors after former Bangkok MP Thana Chirawinij proposed that reporters be asked to leave. He said he feared arguments and debates by party members may be misunderstood.

Party sources said this was the first time that cameras were present at a Democrat caucus.

After reporters were asked to leave, the caucus continued until noon and the meeting’s chair counted the members present and found all 299 were still there.

Then acting deputy leader Sathit Pitutecha proposed that Article 87 of the party’s charter, which gives 70% weight of the votes to the party’s MPs,…