2008-12-02 13:31:22  

·Court ordered the three ruling parties to be dissolved over electoral fraud. ·All the three party's executives were banned from politics for five years. ·As a result of the verdict, Somchai Wongsawat will lose his premiership.

    BANGKOK, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) --

Thailand's Constitution Court on Tuesday ruled the three ruling parties in the coalition government-- People Power Party (PPP), Chart Thai Party and Matchima Thipataya Party were guilty of electoral fraud charges and ordered them to be dissolved.

    All the three party's executives were banned from politics for five years as punishment in line with the 2007 Constitution.

    The Constitution Court began to read the verdicts against the three parties on electoral fraud charges at around 12:20 p.m. (0520GMT) Tuesday after hearing the closing statements from both the prosecutors and the defendants in the morning.

    The verdicts reading process took only some 40 minutes to complete, unexpectedly much swifter than the Court did in May last year to the former ruling Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party following the Sept. 19, 2006 coup that ousted then premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

    The TRT was disbanded on electoral fraud charges and its 111 executives including founder Thaksin Shinawatra were banned from politics for five years.

    The PPP, which is seen by opponents as a reincarnation of the TRT, did not attend Tuesday's summation session, protesting that the judges were biased against the government.

    Anti-government protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who had occupied the Government House for three months and lately besieged and shut down two airports in Bangkok in a showdown to topple the government, hailed as the Court handed down the verdicts.

    As a result of the verdict, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who is acting leader of PPP, will lose his premiership according to the Constitution. The whole cabinet must go with him. A deputy prime minister, who is not a party executive, could be appointed to succeed Somchai to lead the caretaker cabinet.

    On July 8, the Supreme Court ruled that former House speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat, former deputy PPP leader, was found guilty of vote-buying during last Dec. 23 general election, which saw PPP win most votes, and banned him from engaging in politics for five years.

    Under Thailand's Election Law under the 2007 Constitution, if any executive member of a political party committed electoral fraud, the party could be dissolved and its executive committee will be banned from engaging in political activities for five years.

Thai PM says to accept court ruling

2008-12-02 15:27:59

·Thailand's Constitution Court removes PM from his post as the government leader. ·"I did my best to administer the country", said Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. ·Since Somchai was disqualified,  Chaovarat Chanweerakul will become caretaker PM.

    BANGKOK, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) --

Thailand's Constitution Court on Tuesday ruled the three ruling parties in the coalition government-- People Power Party (PPP), Chart Thai Party and Matchima Thipataya Party were guilty of electoral fraud charges and ordered them to be dissolved.

    All the three party's executives were banned from electoral process for five years as punishment in line with the 2007 Constitution.

    The verdict effectively removes Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from his post as the government leader.

    Somchai reacted calmly to the verdict by saying, "I did my best to administer the country."

    The verdict was handed down while Somchai was chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting in Chiang Mai, which he made a temporary government seat since his return from an APEC summit in Peru last Wednesday, as a civil anti-government movement led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) occupied the Government House, and then besieged the Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in a showdown to topple his government, which the protesters said was a proxy of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

    Somchai and his Cabinet was originally scheduled to attend the military parade in central Bangkok in the afternoon, presided over by the King and the Queen, as a tradition to celebrate the King's birthday on Dec. 5.

    Chat Chonlaworn, who headed the nine judges of the court, told the public via a live television broadcast saying that the ruling was the only option the panel could have made in line with laws.

    "No matter whether you are satisfied or not with the verdict, we ask you to accept it," he said, pleading the public to remain calm and respect the judicial process.

    The Constitution Court began to read the verdict against the three parties on electoral fraud charges at around 12:20 p.m. (0520 GMT) Tuesday after hearing the closing statements from both the prosecutors and the defendants in the morning.

    In the fraud case linked to PPP, the Court cited the July 8 Supreme Court conviction of former House speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat, also former deputy PPP leader, over vote-buying in last Dec. 23 general election, which saw PPP win most votes, as the ground to disband the ruling party.

    Yongyuth was banned from electoral process for five years.

    Under Thailand's Election Law under the 2007 Constitution, if any executive member of a political party committed electoral fraud, the party could be dissolved and its executive committee will be banned from engaging in political activities for five years.

    The Court then cited earlier rulings by the Election Commission which held Chart Thai party executive Monthien Songpracha and Sunthorn Wilawan of Matchima Thipataya guilty of electoral fraud as basis to convict the two parties.

    The nine presiding judges reached unanimous decisions against PPP and Matchima, while voted eight-to-one to convict Chart Thai.

    The two parties were among the five political parties that partnered with the PPP to form the coalition government, then headed by Samak Sundaradej this February. Samak was removed in September over a court verdict for hosting a TV cooking show while in office.

    The verdict reading process took only some 40 minutes to complete, unexpectedly much swifter than the Court did in May last year to the former ruling Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party following the Sept. 19, 2006 coup that ousted then premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

    The TRT was disbanded on electoral fraud charges and its 111 executives including founder Thaksin Shinawatra were banned from politics for five years.

    The PPP, which is seen by opponents as a reincarnation of the TRT, did not attend Tuesday's summation session, protesting that the judges were biased against the government.

    PAD protesters, who had been rallying at the two airports in Bangkok in a showdown to topple the government, hailed as the Court handed down the verdict.

    Since Somchai was disqualified, First Deputy Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul will become caretaker prime minister pending a meeting of the caretaker Cabinet, former PM's Office Ministers Sukhumpong Ngonkham said Tuesday. 

Thai anti-gov't group announces to end rallies Wednesday

2008-12-02 20:24:34  

　  BANGKOK, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) --

Leaders of Thailand's anti-government group People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) announced on Tuesday evening that it will end its mass rallies after the government collapsed upon a court ruling that disbanded the ruling People Power Party (PPP).

    Core leader of the PAD, Sondhi Limthongkul read the PAD's 21st statement at a press conference after 6:00 p.m. (11OO GMT) that the PAD resolved to end its anti-government rallies at the Government House and the Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok, effective from 10:00 a.m. (0300 GMT) Wednesday.

    The PAD cited three reasons for the decision: the movement's goal to block the PPP-led government's attempts to amend the 2007 Constitution has achieved; the near collapse of the government led by now disqualified prime minister Somchai Wongsawat after the Constitution Court earlier on Tuesday to disband the ruling PPP party and ban its executives, including Somchai, from politics for five years; to celebrate the Thai King's birthday on Dec. 5.

    The PAD started to rally against the government from May and seized the Government House since Aug. 26. Lately in a showdown, the PAD besieged and shut down two airports on Nov. 25, paralyzingair service from and to Bangkok, causing hundreds of thousands of travelers stranded in Thailand for days.

    But the PAD statement said it would resume its fight if the new government is still under the influence of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

    PAD leaders at the Suvarnabhumi airport declared, "This is the victory of the people!" and then led its supporters to cheer "God bless the King!"

    The PAD announced the statement after the Constitution Court handed down the verdict against PPP and its two coalition partners in the government -- Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya parties, and an annual military dress parade at the Royal Plaza in central Bangkok in late afternoon as a traditional ceremony ahead of the Dec. 5, when the revered King Bhumibol turns 81.

    BANGKOK, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of Thailand's anti-government group People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) announced on Tuesday evening that it will end its mass rallies, after the government collapsed upon a court ruling that disbanded the ruling People Power Party (PPP).

    Core leader of the PAD, Sondhi Limthongkul read the PAD's 21st statement at a press conference after 6:00 p.m. (11OO GMT) that the PAD resolved to end its anti-government rallies at the Government House and the Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok, effective from Wednesday.

    The PAD cited three reasons for the decision: the movement's goal to block the PPP-led government's attempts to amend the 2007 Constitution has achieved; the prime minister Somchai Wongsawat has been forced to step down upon the Tuesday verdict by the Constitution Court to disband the ruling PPP party and ban its executives, including Somchai, from politics for five years; to celebrate the Thai King's birthday on Dec. 5.