Thailand Prime Minister to Step Down After Court Strips Him of Office

[tekisui]

Thailand's prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, is set to step down today with the rest of his government after a constitutional court banned him from office and found his party and two others guilty of electoral fraud.

The verdict caused celebrations at Thailand's two main airports, which have been occupied for almost a week by the People's Alliance for Democracy (Pad) – a conservative anti-government protest group.

The government spokesman Nattawut Sai-kau said the prime minister and his ruling, six-party coalition would step down.
"We will abide by the law. The coalition parties will meet together to plan for its next move soon," he said.

Pad members at Bangkok's international airport cheered and hugged as they heard news of the verdict.

Somchai's People's Power party, the Machima Thipatai party and the Chart Thai party were found guilty of committing fraud in the December 2007 elections that brought the coalition to power.

The court's president, Chat Chalavorn, said he was dissolving the parties "to set a political standard and an example".

"Dishonest political parties undermine Thailand's democratic system," he said in the court's ruling.

Pro-government supporters at the court dismissed the verdict as a "judicial coup".

The ruling sends Somchai and dozens of party executives into political exile, barring them from the country's politics for five years.

more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/02/thailand-protests-somchai-wongsawat