Ruling party dissolved by court, leaders banned from politics for 5 years

[Mark]

This afternoon, the Constitution Court judged the ruling People Power Party (PPP) guilty of election fraud, resulting in the party being dissolved and its executives banned from politics for 5 years.

This might be the beginning of a "judicial coup", but many experts disagree.

The PAD vowed to occupy the airport until Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resigns. He has now been removed from power.

So, you would think that the airport occupation should end now, since Somchai is out. However, the first reaction is that the PAD is now making more demands ... see next message in this posting.

Back to the court ruling:

The second largest ruling coalition party, Chart Thai, also received the same fate, as did one very minor ruling coalition partner, the Matchima Party. (The second largest party is the opposition Democrat Party, over 4 times the size of Chart Thai, but Chart Thai was the second largest ruling coalition member.)

The judges ruled 9-0 for guilty regarding the PPP and Matchima, and 8-1 for guilty regarding Chart Thai.

The Chart Thai party is an old party (20 years) which once led a ruling coalition briefly in 1995-96. Since that time, it has picked up only approximately 10% or so of the votes and seats in Parliament, but has played roles as a swing power between ruling and opposition coalitions.

In 2006, it joined the boycott of the fraudulent snap elections of that year, helping lead to the downfall of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

However, in early 2008 after the last election, the Chart Thai party joined the People Power Party (PPP) which has been a proxy of exiled ex-PM Thaksin, albeit a coalition partner which has set limits on what the ruling coalition was permitted to do.

The longterm leader of the Chart Thai party, former Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa (1995-96), who had played a very important role in politics, is now banned for 5 years. Given his advanced age, somewhere in his mid-70s, it probably means the end of his political career, though he has a wise daughter. Banharn is known as a warm and compromising person.

The Constitution Court was unable to convene at its normal location due to masses of red shirt army protesters, but it was able to quickly move its location to the Administrative Court out on Chaeng Wattana Road and get started before enough protesters could follow.

The People Power Party did not show up to defend itself, though the two other parties did.

Of course, this is not the end of the conflict, but it is a major step towards relief from the airport occupation.

The things of most interest now:

1. What does the red shirt army do now?

2. What happens in the power vacuum?

3. How many members of Parliament of the disbanded PPP and Chart Thai parties flock to the new Thaksin proxy Puea Thai Party, versus going to other parties?

4. What ruling coalition forms next?

The next few hours will be very interesting to watch, as well as the next day, and then the following few weeks, a pivotal time for Thailand like never before.

[Mark]

According to The Nation:

"People's Alliance for Democracy leader Somsak Kosaisuk on Tuesday vowed to continue rallying at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports and demanded the departure of the entire Cabinet.

"Following the verdict on party disbandment, Somsak said the PAD would not allow the Cabinet to work in the caretaker capacity until the formation of the next government.

"He said every minister must depart along with Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

"Of 36 Cabinet members, 22 are not affected by the party disbandment and can carry on in the caretaker administration."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/brea...ewsid=30089997

Don't be surprised if the red shirt army, who has left the court building, will regroup and thereafter go to the airports and wage battles with the PAD yellow shirts.

Hopefully, many yellow shirt PAD people will now leave the airport, but die-hards will surely stay there.

Public support for the PAD had already plummeted over the last week, and now it should drop even more.

Both sides are fuelling the conflict. Some leader(s) in the center may need to arise as an alternative, and try to prevent or minimize violence.

[Mark]

The PAD reversed its stand later in the day and announced it would leave the airport after all.

http://www.ssbkk.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2437