Thai party disbanded for violating laws
A Thai court disbanded the political party of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra today over election law violations.
The Constitutional Tribunal earlier found the Thai Rak Thai party guilty of financing obscure parties to run against it in last year’s elections to get around rules requiring a minimum voter turnout.
“The defendant is responsible for holding up democratic ways. It used parliamentary elections only as a means to achieve totalitarian power,” Judge Vichai Chuenchompoonuj said.
“It goes to show that the defendant does not believe in the democratic system. It also shows no respect for the rule of law which is key to the democratic system.”
The Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the Thai Rak Thai members, former Defence Minister Thammarak Issaragura na Ayuthaya and former Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal, illegally paid several small parties to participate in a general election last year so that minimum turnout rules were met.
“These two are key members of the party,” Judge Vichai Chuenchompoonuj said, adding that the two helped set up a database and hired the smaller parties. “This makes us believe that it was done to prevent a prolonged election ... so that (Thai Rak Thai) could return to power as soon as possible.”
The Thai Rak Thai ruling came hours after the Democrat Party, the country’s oldest and a bitter rival of Thaksin’s party, was found innocent of election law violations.
The court ruled the Democrat Party had not unfairly maligned Thaksin or breached election laws by urging voters to cast a “no” vote – the equivalent of an abstention – in last year’s elections.
It also found the party innocent of using a smaller party to trick Thai Rak Thai into election law violations, and ruled it had not obstructed a parliamentary candidate from registering in a southern constituency.
“There are no legal grounds to disband” the Democrat Party, a judge announced, bringing cheers and chants of “Democrats fight on!” from crowds gathered at the party headquarters.
“Today is the day many of us have been waiting for,” said Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva. “I want it to be the day that we close the chapter of confusion, stress and strain in the country. From tomorrow on, we have much to do and our priority is to bring back democracy to the country and go forward with the elections.”
Banning Thai Rak Thai would be a stunning end to a party that just two years ago was the most powerful in Thailand.
It became the first party in Thai history to win an absolute majority in parliament in 2005, and by all accounts remains popular with rural voters for its populist policies.
But its demise began last year after the military overthrew Thaksin in a bloodless coup after demonstrations calling for his resignation for alleged corruption and abuse of power.
The coup came after tens of thousands of protesters had gathered in Bangkok demanding Thaksin’s resignation. Thaksin dissolved parliament and called for snap elections in an effort to defuse protests and secure his mandate. The three main opposition parties boycotted the vote.
Thaksin’s party won but was unable to convene parliament for lack of a quorum. Thaksin’s party was accused of election law violations by paying off other parties to sidestep the quorum rule.
In London, where he is living in exile, Thaksin urged supporters to remain calm.
“We have to respect the rules of the game. That is, the rule of the law,” he said.
The leaders of both parties had publicly promised to accept Wednesday’s rulings, but there were concerns there might be demonstrations by supporters of Thai Rak Thai which could turn violent if the verdict went against it.
Interim Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont warned earlier Wednesday that he would re-impose a state of emergency if violence erupted. Thousands of security officers fanned out across the Thai capital, and political Web sites were shut down amid fears of unrest. However, the capital remained calm.
