THAI COURT DISSOLVES RULING PARTIES, DISQUALIFIES PREMIER

BANGKOK, Dec 2 (Bernama) -- Thailand's political and economic crisis sank
deeper into uncertainties Tuesday after the Constitution Court dissolved the
ruling People's Power Party (PPP) and its two coalition partners as well as
disqualifying embattled Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

The nine-member panel also ban the three parties' executive committee
members from active politics for five years under Article 237 of the 2007
military-drafted constitution.

The 51-year-old Somchai, holed up in the northern city of Chiang Mai as he
feared for his safety after the capital's two airports were shut down by
anti-government protesters, was chairing a cabinet meeting when the
widely-expected decision was read.

His last cabinet meeting ended with a decision to postpone the 14th Asean
Summit, scheduled to start next week, to March 2009.

The former judge and brother-in-law of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra
took office only on Sept 18 after his predecessor Samak Sundaravej, who led PPP
to victory in the December 2007 election, was disqualified by the Supreme Court
for appearing in a television cooking show while holding the post.

Without backing from the military and police, Somchai has become a
lameduck
leader and never stepped foot on the Prime Minister's Office at the Government
House which was seized by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) on Aug 26.

His temporary office at the Don Muang Airport was taken over by the
protesters last Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul will be the caretaker premier
until Somchai's successor is appointed, probably on Dec 8, a process that is
unlikely to be smooth with the dissolution of the three political parties and
backdoor manoeuvring.

Hundreds of red-clad pro-government protesters tried to stop the decision
Tuesday when they besieged the Constitution Court but the judges shifted to the
Supreme Administrative Court in Chaeng Wattana which was under heavy military
and police guard.

PPP supporters had vowed to fight against any decision to dissolve their
party, which they claimed was pre-empted to placate the PAD after the
anti-government group closed down the Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports since
Nov 24.

The decision was met with loud cheers from hundreds of PAD supporters
occupying the passenger terminals of the two airports, but their leaders said no
decision has been made on whether to disperse or not.

More than 300,000 foreigners are stranded in Thailand due to the closure as
army and police refused to enforce Somchai's order to disperse them.

PPP's dissolution is related to the election fraud case involving its
deputy
leader and former House Speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat who was disqualified by the
Supreme Court in July.

The latest decision is certain to rile Thaksin's supporters.

In 2007, the Constitution Court also dissolved Thaksin-founded Thai Rak
Thai
(TRT) party for similar offence. TRT's dissolution gave birth to PPP.

All TRT's 111 executives, including Thaksin, were banned from active
politics for five years.

The PPP has already made a contingency plan by setting up the Puea Thai
party to absorb its members of parliament and try to form another coalition
government.

The country has been in turmoil in the past one week after the closure of
its main airports.

Many fear that the court's decision would invite more trouble and possible
civil war as Thaksin's supporters were bent on fighting any attempt to stage a
coup or dissolve the PPP.

There has been a series of explosions at sites occupied by the PAD,
including one at midnight that killed one protester.
-- BERNAMA