Jump to content

Thai PM barred from politics, three parties dissolved

Edit links
From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Related articles
Location of Thailand
Collaborate!
Thailand
Thailand

Today's ruling from Thailand's Constitutional Court sees the Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, removed from office, barred from politics, and the People's Power Party (PPP) dissolved. The allegations leading to this were of vote buying in the last election.

The decision has already eased tension in the country, with the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) announcing they will end their siege of Bangkok's two main international airports. Red-shirted pro-government protesters were dismayed at the court's decision. Initially they blockaded the Constitutional Court buildings to try and prevent the case being heard; following its relocation they moved on to the Administrative Court to protest a decision they claim is anti-democratic.

In addition to the PPP being disbanded and outlawed, two other parties in the ruling coalition were found guilty. The Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya parties were also outlawed and, between the three parties, 109 members barred from all involvement in the electoral process - including the right to vote. Among those disenfranchised were three ex-Prime Ministers. Those remaining from the executive of the outlawed parties have stated their intention to reform under a new name and attempt to continue in government.

HAVE YOUR SAY
Should those not disbarred hold a general election or, as reported, try to carry on in government?

Prior to the PAD announcing that their airport blockades would end, another grenade attack at one of the airports killed one and injured around 20 other protesters. Yesterday saw the PAD announce plans to abandon the Government House compound they have occupied since August. Following numerous grenade attacks on their encampment there, they elected to move to the airport protest sites and leave what has become a regular target; it is expected to take until Thursday to remove all belongings accumulated at the key site since the August invasion.

Somchai, brother-in-law to the fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, has been a target of the PAD since he assumed the office following his predecessor being ousted over a conflict of interest issue. The PPP and Somchai are seen as a proxy for Thaksin and his banned Thai Rak Thai party, which the military overthrew in a bloodless coup in 2006.

Sources

  • Court bans 109, including 3 ex-premiers — The Bangkok Post, December 2, 2008
  • Top Thai court ousts PM Somchai — BBC News Online, December 2, 2008
  • Thai airport protests called off — BBC News Online, December 2, 2008
  • One dead in grenade attack at Don Mueang — The Bangkok Post, December 2, 2008
  • PAD needs 2 more days to remove all belongings from Government House — The Nation (Thailand), December 2, 2008


  Share this article

Email this story Share on Facebook Share on Telegram Share on WhatsApp Share on LinkedIn Share on WeChat

Share on Twitter Share on Reddit Share on Bluesky Share on Mastodon



This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.

Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.

Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.

Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.

Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.

The text of this article is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License

This page is archived, and is no longer publicly editable.
Articles presented on Wikinews reflect the specific time at which they were written and published, and do not attempt to encompass events or knowledge which occur or become known after their publication.

Got a correction? Add the template {{editprotected}} to the talk page along with your corrections, and it will be brought to the attention of the administrators.

Please note that due to our archival policy, we will not alter or update the content of articles that are archived, but will only accept requests to make grammatical and formatting corrections.

Note that some listed sources or external links may no longer be available online due to age.

The text of this article is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License
Retrieved from "https://en.wikinews.org/w/index.php?title=Thai_PM_barred_from_politics,_three_parties_dissolved&oldid=4827296"