Finally, the final battle for Thailand - court verdict

[BahtandSold]

US OR THEM
Yellow, red camps bring country closer to the brink
By The Nation SUNDAY Nov 30 2008 (approx 11 pm)

Sporadic lawlessness spreading on both sides of conflict as Thailand is named "one of most dangerous places on earth"

Sporadic mob rules have threatened to take on a far larger scale this weekend, with protesters on both sides of the political showdown showing less and less respect for the rule of law and human rights.

After the Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports have fallen to the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy, now the Constitution Court is in danger of being surrounded by red-shirt pro-government protesters and nobody knows what is going to happen if the court on Tuesday decides to disband three ruling parties.

Equally worrisome are minor incidents across the country. Vendors watching ASTV have been intimidated by red-shirt people. PAD protesters have fired on a reporter's car, although that was described as a mistake (the car was mistaken as that of assailants). Southern anti-government protesters have threatened to seize provincial halls in all 14 southern provinces if a crackdown was initiated against Suvarnabhumi protesters.

Prime Minister Somchai yesterday took a pilgrimage to pay respect to a Buddhist holy site in Nakhon Phanom while redshirt crowds have threatened to become vigilantes to punish yellowshirt protesters.

Somchai went to pray before the Buddha's relic at Wat Phra That Phanom, People Power Party MP Paijit Srivorakan said.

Following his visit to the temple, he would spend a night in Udon Thani where a pro-government rally took place. He is expected today to return to his temporary office in Chiang Mai.

Paijit said northeastern constituents as well as their MPs would rally to show moral support for the prime minister.

In Chiang Mai, several pickup trucks filled with pro-government crowds were driven to a number of crowded public places rousing the people to take the law into their hands and attack the yellow shirt protesters and their supporters.

In the message, people have been encouraged to identify and shut down businesses and shops run by or linked to the protesters led by The People's Alliance for Democracy.

On Friday's night, a number of redshirt men forced a noodle vendor at Nong Hoy market to close down on the ground for watching the antigovernment programmed aired by ASTV satellite station.

Between Friday and yesterday, redshirt crowds distributed flyers in English to foreign visitors criticising the seizure of two major airports at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

Speaking in the capital, Democrat Party spokesman Buranat Samutarak warned that the chance for a negotiated settlement was fast diminishing as time dragged on.

The country is heading for unprecedented violence and bloodshed, he said.

He called for Interior Minister Kowit Watana, who is in charge of crowd control, to quickly commence negotiations with the PAD before it was too late.

He went on to criticise former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for resuming his political activities which have in turn inflamed the situation.

The situation might turn into a violent mayhem following yesterday's rally by the redshirt crowds at Sanam Luang, he said.

In Udon Thani, about 10,000 redshirt crowds rallied to support the government and safeguard Somchai during his overnight stay, organiser Kwanchai Praipana said.

Kwanchai said each northeaster constituency would mobilise about 20,000 people to rally in Bangkok on Tuesday in order to oppose the anticipated disbandment of the ruling party.

He called on the government to allow redshirt crowds to disperse the yellowshirt protesters if police failed to do their job.

Two MPs from Lop Buri, Suchart Lainamngern and Amnuay Klangpha, predicted that more than 100,000 redshirt crowds would turn out to rally by Tuesday in order to counter the PAD led protests.

The PAD has, meanwhile, been mobilising the protesters from the 14 southern provinces to reinforce the antigovernment crowds at the three rally sites, Government House, Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

PAD's Nakhon Si Thammarat chapter leader Osoth Suwansawaet said each local chaper was responsible for dispatching 200 300 protesters daily to the three rally sites.

Osoth said PAD led protesters were fully braced for crowd dispersal measures and would fight if redshirt crowds descended on them.

He threatened to seize every provincial hall and block interprovincial roads in the South if police cracked down on protesters at the two airports.

Nakhon Si Thammarat governor Panu Uthairat and his counterpart in Songkhla Sonthi Techanan said they had taken precautionary measures to preempt any attempts to blockade provincial halls.

Government spokesman Natthawut Saikua said it was evident from news clips that PAD led protesters were armed and tried to attack unarmed police.

"Armed protesters should immediately stop violent attacks against the unarmed authorities," he said.

He said the prime minister and his government have remained fully functioning although the situation has to be re-assessed on a daily basis.

The Tuesday's Cabinet meeting is expected to proceed but the venue has yet to be picked, he said.

The government sponsored merit making ceremony is on track for Tuesday although it is uncertain whether Prime Minister Somchai will leave Chiang Mai to personally chair the event, he said.

Somchai remains uncertain whether he can attend ceremonies relating to His Majesty's birthday, he added.

He insisted that the government refused to step down either by resigning or by House dissolution because this would tantamount to allowing the victory to the PAD.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph newspaper website, www.telegraph.co.uk, has named Thailand as one of the world's most generous countries, alongside Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya, South Africa, Jamaica, Sudan, Colombia, Haiti, Eritrea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Pakistan, Burundi, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, India, Mexico, Isarel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and Lebanon.
____________________________________________________

Rival faceoff
Bangkok Post SUNDAY Nov 30 2008 (approx 11:15 pm)

At Bangkok City Hall, a rally in red vowed to prevent a "silent coup" by the judiciary. At the airports, yellow-clad protesters were "willing to die" to bring down the government. In the streets, two-thirds of citizens say they are embarrassed and ashamed for the country.

"Thailand is tipping out of control," warned Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University and regular contributor to the Bangkok Post Oped page. "The UDD could go on its own rampage, and then who will stop them? Only Thaksin" Shinawatra, the charismatic ex-premier, now a fugitive from the Thai court.

An estimated 4,000 men and women in red rallied at the traditional parade and political grounds on the Chao Phraya River banks in support of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and a government that has been chased out of Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

Wearing red headbands emblazoned with the words "No Coup", United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) raised fears of violence with their first rally since deadly rivals of the People's Alliance for Democracy seized and shut the two Bangkok international airports.

"We gather here today to protect the democratic system, to say we don't want a coup," said Jatuporn Prompan, a leader of the pro-government group known as the "Red Shirts", adding that they would stay there until Thursday.

The PAD, clad in yellow, have vowed to keep Thailand cut off from the world until Mr Somchai, the brother-in-law of the hated ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, steps down.

"Whatever happens, we will fight," senior PAD leader Chamlong Srimuang told reporters at the site earlier.

If we have to die today, I am willing to die," said fellow PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul in a speech broadcast by his ASTV station.

Their statements took on significance because a grenade was fired into a PAD crowd at Government House early on and wounded 46 people, four of them critically. A second explosion near Don Mueang airport injured two innocent bystanders, police said.

The red-shirt group vowed to encamp at the BMA Plaza adjacent to City Hall except on His Majesty the King's birthday on Friday (Dec 5). The UDD mass gathering prompted 11 schools in Phra Nakhon district nearby to close Monday.

The UDD had originally planned to rally at Sanam Luang, but decided to move to a square in front of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) headquarters because of ongoing preparations at Sanam Luang for the birthday celebrations for His Majesty.

More than the airport seizure, the UDD was angered by an order by the Constitution Court to speed up arguments in three separate cases which could result in the disbanding of the ruling People Power party and two of its main coalition allies.

The court ordered final arguments for next Tuesday, to be followed quickly by a verdict which almost everyone expects will be to dissolve all three parties and ban their executives from politics for five years - including Prime Minister Somchai.

That, said UDD icon and Kwam Jing Wan Nee (Truth Today) TV personality Veera Musikapong, "represents a silent coup by the Constitution Court judges." Speakers at the UDD rally lit into the court from the opening of the event on Sunday.

"On Tuesday, so many people will go to the Constitution Court that there will be no place to stand, and the judges will not be able to enter to pass their verdict," UDD leader Chatuporn Phomphan told the crowd.

Police continued to stand by at the airport seizures as well, despite heavy criticism from abroad at the airport seizures, which have prevented more than 100,000 foreigners from leaving.

Police said fresh talks had started at both airports. But they later issued a new order to protesters at Don Mueang, warning that they faced two years in jail if they did not disperse.

"Time is running out but we still have time to find a solution. Police will work with compromise, no force, no weapons," said Pongsapat Pongcharoen, assistant to the national police chief.

The Abac Poll of Assumption University reported on Sunday that Thais in general are embarrassed by the political turbulence and by the negative views of foreigners.

More than 75 per cent of respondents were ashamed of the red-yellow actions, and more than 65 per cent agreed they were less proud of the country and 58 per cent said they had not taken sides.

An overwhelming 92.3 per cent said the political standoff should be solved by the judiciary.

Foreign countries meanwhile arranged more flights for their stranded nationals through the Vietnam War-era naval base at U-Tapao, 190 kilometres (118 miles) from Bangkok.

"They have killed tourism in this country, the authorities should go do something," said tourist Danny Mosaffi, 57, from New York City as he waited for a flight. (with Agency reports)
_____________________________________________________

AIRPORT CLOSURE
STRANDED AIRCRAFT CAN LEAVE
The Nation Published on MONDAY December 1, 2008

Move follows talks between AOT and the PAD; industry officials say loss is 'incalculable'

Airports of Thailand (AOT), the operator of Suvarnabhumi Airport, yesterday gave the green light to Thai Airways International and other airlines to remove a total of 88 aircraft grounded since last Tuesday.

"We've told every airline that they can remove their stranded aircraft if their pilots are ready," said Serirat Pasutanond, AOT's acting president.

The green light followed lengthy negotiations with leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who laid siege to Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, while law enforcement officials have been unable to disperse the anti-government protesters.

PAD is now under heavy pressure to alleviate the situation because 160,000 Thais and foreigners have been stranded here and abroad due to its unlawful act.

In the first positive development since the start of the airport siege on November 25, Serirat said last night that several aircraft of THAI and other airlines had already left Suvarnabhumi so that they could fly these aircraft to U-Tapao, Chiang Mai, Phuket or other regional international airports to help stranded passengers.

The airport will remain closed until 6pm today due to the presence of protesters, making it unsafe to reopen the airport.

Meanwhile, Pramong Suthiwong, chairman of Thailand's Board of Trade, yesterday urged the government to re-open Suvarnabhumi Airport as soon as possible because the damage from its closure is now "incalculable".

Dr Olarn Chaipravat, the deputy premier in charge of economic affairs, will today hold an urgent meeting with Pramon and other private sector executives to discuss the situation.

Leaders of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Thai Industries, Thai Bankers Association, and Tourism Council of Thailand will also join the meeting.

The private sector said an extended closure of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports would also severely damage the country's international reputation, while the recovery process will take more than one year.

Pornsilp Patcharinkul, a senior executive of the Board of Trade, said fresh food, orchids, electronics, jewellery and other exporters were badly hit by the airport closures with damage estimated to be around Bt3 billion per day.

Fresh fruit and vegetable exporters could not do their business because they needed to use cold storage facilities at Suvarnabhumi Airport, he said.

The private sector is not sure how long it would take to reopen the airports as a reopening will likely require certification from the international aviation body for safety reasons.

Somkiat Anuraj, vice chairman of the Board of Trade, said it may take more than one year to fix the country's international image if the forced closure of airports lasted more than a week.

"Thai exporters will lose lots of business opportunities as buyers will turn to other countries. Unfortunately, this is happening during the peak export period as lots of orders are received in November and December," he said.

Santi Vilassakdanont, chairman of Federation of Thai Industries, said the government may have to use part of the additional Bt100-billion fiscal budget to revive tourism, aviation and export sectors hit by airport closures.

For example, there could be special travel packages for domestic tourists to help operators in tourism, hotel, restaurant and related sectors cope with the business downturn as the number of foreign visitors is likely to drop sharply. At this stage, foreign arrivals could have plunged to just 7-8 million next year down from the 13-14 million, resulting in a major loss of jobs in tourism and related sectors.

Tourism and other services currently account for 40 per cent of Thailand's GDP.

Kosit Panpiemras, executive chairman of Bangkok Bank, said yesterday that if the airport closure is longer than 1-2 weeks, businesses will be hit hard.

Pairoj Vongvipanond of Dhurakij Pundit University, said Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat would likely step down or dissolve Parliament to end the crisis, while Pasuk Phongpaichit of Chulalongkorn University said there should not be another coup.

Meanwhile, Thailand Development Research Institute has projected that economic growth will be only 1.9 per cent for 2009, compared with an estimated growth of 4 per cent this year.
_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[BahtandSold]

Bangkok Airways adds extra flights from Hua Hin to Singapore and Hong Kong
The Nation MONDAY Dec 1 2008 (approx 2 pm)

Bangkok Airways has launched special flights between Hua Hin and Samui twice a day during December 1st until further notice in order to serve passengers going to Singapore or Hong Kong via Samui, it announce Monday.

According to its press release, the flights schedules from and to Hua Hin will be as follows:

Hua Hin - Samui dep: 14.00 hrs. and 17.00 hrs.

Samui - Singapore dep: 16.35 hrs. and 20.30 hrs.

Samui - Hong Kong dep: 22.00 hrs. and 11.35 hrs.

Hong Kong - Samui dep: 17.05 hrs. and 04.00 hrs.

Singapore - Samui dep: 20.10 hrs. and 01.30 hrs.

Samui - Hua Hin dep: 15.30 hrs. and 18.30 hrs.

A complimentary transfer service will leave four hours prior to each flight departure from Bangkok Airways' Head Office (99 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road).

Additionally, the airline also operates between U-tapao-Siem Reap/ U-tapao-Luang -Prabang/ U-tapao-Maldives/ U-tapao-Guilin/ U-tapao-Samui/ and U-tapao-Phuket.

For more information, call 1771, or 0-2265-8777 or log on www.bangkokair.com
_____________________________________________________

Puea Thai to choose leader
Bangkok Post Dec 1 2008

The Puea Thai party, a replacement for the ruling People Power party in the event it is dissolved, will hold a general assembly on Friday to elect its leader.

Party spokesman Sakda Noppasit said a meeting yesterday of Puea Thai acting executives also resolved that the permanent executive board would be elected on Dec 7. It would have between 13 and 29 members.

During yesterday's meeting there was no discussion about who should lead the party, he said.

Former supreme commander and army chief Chaisit Shinawatra, who is a cousin of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's younger sister, have emerged as the strongest contenders.

Tomorrow, the Constitution Court will complete the trial process in which three government coalition parties face possible dissolution for electoral fraud - the PPP, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya. It is possible the verdicts could be delivered tomorrow.

Kamol Bandaipetch, Puea Thai's acting registrar, said many MPs from the PPP and other government parties were expected to join the new party after the court issues its ruling.

He confirmed Ms Yingluck and Gen Chaisit have filed membership applications.

However, the party was worried that the opposition Democrat party might question its legitimacy to lead the new government as it did not field any candidates in the last election.

Sakda Khongpetch, a PPP MP for Roi Et, said Mingkhwan Saengsuwan, the former Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand director and a PPP list MP, may be nominated to succeed Somchai Wongsawat as prime minister if the party is dissolved.

Pol Lt-Col Somchai Phetprasert, a Nakhon Ratchasima MP, said Public Health Minister Chalerm Yubamrung could be another candidate for the premiership.
_____________________________________________________

Chart Thai Sets up 'Chart Thai Pattana' in Preparation for Dissolution
TOC 1 December 2008

The Chart Thai Party is ready to make its final statement on the party disbandment case tomorrow, and has already set up the 'Chart Thai Pattana Party' as a back-up party if it is ordered to be dissolved.

Chart Thai Party Leader Bunharn Silapa-archa traveled to the party's headquarters and ordered the staff to cooperate with the police in providing security and safety measures at Chart Thai's head office after giant firecrackers were hurled at the Democrat Party's headquarters last night. However, Bunharn has refused to give an interview to the media.

It's been reported that Bunharn will travel to Chart Thai's head office before heading to the Constitution Court to make a final statement on the party dissolution case. Reporters also said that Chart Thai has prepared for its possible dissolution as it has already registered three new political parties, one of them called 'Chart Thai Pattana'.

Moreover, a new building situated 500 metres away from the Chart Thai's current headquarters has been being renovated in preparation for the newly set up party's head office.
_____________________________________________________

PAD ends Government House occupation
The Nation Dec 1 2008 (approx 2:30 pm)

The People's Alliance For Democracy Monday ended its occupation of the Government House.

Suchart Srisai, an official of the Dharma Army of the Santi Asoke Buddhist sect, announced on the stage inside Government House at 2 pm that the PAD would end it occupation of the complex.

He urged protesters to post for photos as souvenirs and pack their belongings and move to join their peers either at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport or the Don Mueng Airport.
_____________________________________________________

Govt House protesters move to Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi
Bangkok Post Dec 1 2008 (approx 3pm)

One of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders, Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, on Monday told protesters at Government House to move to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.

According to Maj-Gen Chamlong, anti-government demonstrators will no longer be allowed to spend a night at Government House for their own safety, following repeated grenade and gun attacks at the compound previously.

He said the daily demonstration at Government House will now be held until evening, and only the PAD guards will station at the site during the night.
_____________________________________________________

Thaksin in Koh Kong Cambodia monitoring: Thai Rath
Thai Rath Dec 1 2008

Ed: according to today's thai-language Thai Rath newspaper, Mr Thaksin is just across the border in Koh Kong Cambodia 'monitoring' events. Senior ex-TRT members and PPP executives are said to be holding meetings with Thaksin. The article is in Thai and may be viewed here:
www.thairath.com/offline.php?section=hotnews&content=113454

Nothing as yet in the English press but more on this as it becomes known.
_____________________________________________________

Tight security at Constitution Court
Bnagkok POst Dec 1 2008 (approx 4:45 pm)

Police and military forces were deployed to prevent protesters from pressuring the Constitutional Court judges who will rule the dissolution cases of People Power, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya parties on Tuesday.

The assistant to the police commissioner-general, Pol Lt-Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, said demonstrators from anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and pro-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) were gathering in many areas across the country, but more policemen were dispatched to prevent both sides from confronting each other.

Pol Lt-Gen Pongsapat said authorities are closely monitoring the situation and continuously hold talks with PAD and UDD core members.

However, he called on both sides to gather in a peaceful manner, and believed the situation will be restored after His Majesty the King's birthday on Friday.
_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[BahtandSold]

1 killed, 22 injured in bomb attack at Don Mueang
The Nation TUESDAY Dec 2 2008

An assailant fired a grenade into the inbound passenger terminal building of the Don Mueang Airport early Tuesday, killing one protester and injuring 22 others.

Five of them were severely injured in the attack at 00:15 am Tuesday morning.

Guards of the People's Alliance for Democracy said they saw an attack on the Don Mueang Tollway who sped off in a vehicle to the direction of Rangsit area after the attack.

The explosion caused turmoil inside the terminal where protesters were sleeping. They woke up and ran in panic.

Protesters and PAD guards said the grenade, believed to be an M79, pieced broke a glass window pane of the terminal and exploded inside the terminal.

Two injured protesters were rushed to the General Hospital, 7 to Bhumibhol Hospital and 14 to Mongkut Watana Hospital.

Ronnachai Chaisri, 29, from Songkhla province's Sabayoi district, died on his way to the Bhumiphol hospital.

Three severely-injured protesters at the Bhumiphol are Prasong Kongprasutr, 55, Somsak Chaisuwan 46 and Wijai Wijan, 43. They were hit by bomb shrapnel on their abdomen and received urgent surgeries to save their life.

Two injured protesters at the Central General are in critical condition. They are Phanchawee Suphatpong, 66, and Piyachart Daengpuangpaibul, 30. Phanchawee was hit at her headd while Piyachart at his knee.

Kriangkrai Piayu, a guard from Nakhon Sawan, said he saw a man waling on the Don Mueang Tollway when he heard the explosion.

The man then sped off in a vehicle.

"The attacker is very inhumane to attack the innocent people. He should have attacked us, guards, instead," Kriangkrai said.

A protester said he saw a flash of light from the direction of the tollway and a window pane was smashed and then the explosion followed.

The attack came after the PAD deserted and ended its occupation of the Government House for security reasons, saying it would be safer for protesters to rally at the Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.
_____________________________________________________

POLITICS
Airports cannot be reopened quickly
Bangkok Post Dec 2 2008

Must pass checks, get standards certification

There will be inevitable delays in bringing Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports back into operation when the anti-government demonstrators eventually disperse.

Neither the government nor officials of Airports of Thailand (AoT) really know how badly the airports have been affected by the occupation by thousands of People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) supporters.

"We cannot say anything for now because we have no idea how much damage has been done," AoT acting president Serirat Pasutanond said yesterday.

However, it was unlikely the process would be quick, because staff would have to go through complicated and stringent checks, make repairs if needed and get re-certification, he said.

"Even the complex IT systems at the two airports will have to be rebooted and calibrated, just like when you start-up a new airport," he said.

Ground handling equipment and other support facilities which were moved out from Suvarnabhumi to U-tapao airport would also have to be moved back to Suvarnabhumi.

"It could take days, weeks or even months, only God knows how long," a frustrated Mr Serirat said.

The PAD security detail has not allowed airport or airline workers to enter the area once they left. Most of the surveillance TV cameras at the two airports have also been disabled.

Before the operations can resume, the AoT will first need to ensure that the airports are back up to standard. They will have to be checked by the Department of Civil Aviation under the yardstick established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, an agency of the United Nations.

An endorsement from aviation authorities of the United States, the European Union and international airlines would also be needed.

The likelihood is that U-tapao airfield, a navy facility in Rayong province, will continue to serve commercial air traffic while Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang are inactive.

However, U-tapao has only a limited capacity and is jam-packed with passengers, mostly stranded foreigners, and has been struggling to cope with a backlog of flights.

Airline executives gave a sigh of relief after the PAD allowed them to fly out the 88 aircraft which had been parked at Suvarnabhumi since Tuesday, to eliminate the risk of damage to the planes.

AoT officials were worried that the planes could be vandalised at the airport.

About 50 of the planes flew out on Sunday evening and the remaining aircraft were to leave today, if the airlines were able to find pilots.

The US State Department and the European Union have labelled the airport seizures an inappropriate form of protest and urged the protesters to leave the airports peacefully.
_____________________________________________________

Minister assures 200,000 stranded passengers flights within 10 days

BANGKOK, Dec 1 (TNA) - Thailand's Minister of Tourism and Sports assured on Monday all 240,000 stranded passengers could board flights to their destinations within 10 days as Vietnam war-era U-tapao naval airport has been serving a great number of inbound and outbound passengers.

The anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy protesters continue to occupy Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport and Don Mueang airports.

The two airports have been closed since early last week, causing tens of thousands of international travellers to be stranded while thousands of Thais abroad are unable to return home.

U-tapao security chief Captain Somnuek Kaewmarerng said about 400 flights had so far used the U-tapao Naval airport, carrying 50,000 passengers.

Check-in counters at Bitec exhibition center in Bangna were now up and running around the clock to accommodate more passengers to check in for their flights and board buses to U-Tapao airport. Passengers are advised to arrive at Bi-Tec 7 hours before their flight departure time.

All check-in locations at six hotels in Bangkok, meanwhile, were closed on Monday.

Minister of Tourism and Sports Weerasak Kowsurat said another check in location at Muang Thong Thani will be ready by Wednesday.

It will serve passengers leaving for Nakorn Ratchasima airport which can accommodate three Boeing 737s at one time.

Bangkok Airways will operate 2 departing flights daily from Hua Hin airport departing at 2 pm and 5 pm to Samui airport for passengers to connect to Hong Kong.

All foreign passengers falling sick are eligible for free medical care at all private or public hospitals, according to the Public Health Minister Chalerm Yubumrung. (TNA)
_____________________________________________________

SHADOW BOXING
PAD should quit airports and govt should resign
Bangkok Post/Korn Chatikavanij TUESDAY Dec 2 2008

We need to learn from the past and we need to take care of the present, but I have to admit, right now it is extremely depressing to do either.

As I write, the Emergency Decree has been announced though no action as yet has been taken against the protesters. The government has retreated to the safe haven of Chiang Mai and remains eerily very detached from the crisis that is unfolding in the nation's capital.

The consistent line taken by the government is: we cannot resign or dissolve parliament because we need to protect democracy.

This is wrong. Any genuinely democratic government would feel responsible for what is happening and, conversely, only non-democratic regimes would feel that it can hold on to power even though it can no longer govern.

One thing is certain - Suvarnabhumi Airport cannot be closed indefinitely. The government has neglected to address this problem but seems instead focused on organising protests to discredit the Constitution Court.

The main question is, what happens next? What do we have to do to repair the damage? What aspirations can we realistically hold on to and what is required for these dreams to be realised?

On the positive side, even if our country is in turmoil today, the world is too distracted by the economic crisis to pay us much attention. We are not losing out on investment flows because there aren't any.

The bad news, however, is that we are losing our goodwill capital and this will take a lot of hard work to win back.

Another positive is that there remains every opportunity for the situation to be contained. The terrorist acts in Mumbai provide a perspective. The public is clamouring for the PAD's head for causing disruption and economic damage, and though this is understandable, just imagine if instead of just sitting peacefully outside the airport, they had gone in and gunned down travellers inside the terminal. Imagine if they then said they would continue to do the same until the government quits.

The situation today is dire, but it is not the worst-case scenario. This damage can be repaired.

Still, what happens from now on is critical in deciding how we can proceed, and here I have fewer reasons to be optimistic.

The PAD should realise by now that the government is not interested in the effect the airport closures have on the country. Given that, the PAD should cease their airport protests. The only way of bringing down this government is to let justice be done through the courts of law. The only end-result that the PAD could possibly be hoping for in their protests is that the military play its hand. That would be negative for Thailand, and in my opinion, conversely play into the hands of Thaksin and his Red Army.

I say this because it is already obvious what the government should do if it were sincere in its intentions towards the country. It should mount a professional attempt to clear the protesters from the airports and then it should quit. If it feels it is incapable of effective action, then it should resign - and do so without delay.

The government should not be using the question of "then what?"as an excuse for doing nothing. Asking "then what" repeatedly is a sure way of leading ourselves into unnecessary deadlock. The government cannot claim a possible consequence in the future as a reason not to take responsibility for a real crisis today.

Unfortunately, there appears to be no chance of statesmanship from this government - a government that is now more overtly than ever dancing to Thaksin's tune.

The bottom-line message to my fellow politicians is: we chose to become politicians to help the country, and if quitting is the best way to ensure peace and a chance to move forward, then why even hesitate?

The problem is that it is now clear that the country is not their priority.

As a finance man, I understand the problem of "moral hazard" better than most. The concept of not wanting to set a bad precedent is critical in creating the right regulatory and governance system. However, in a crisis, it is almost always a mistake to be concerned about moral hazards. This is the mistake the IMF forced upon us in 1997 with the closure of the finance companies. The decision to let Lehman Brothers go bust is now widely perceived to have been critically flawed. In reverse, the financial support being given to banks and other financial institutions is what has prevented a meltdown in the broader economy.

The same is true with the current political crisis. The government should not be so self-serving in its repeated use of the argument that giving in to the PAD would undermine the ability of governments in the future to rule. That is an academic moral hazard issue that is irrelevant to the solving of today's problem.

The government's role is always as a problem-solver and, without a doubt, it is within its powers to solve the problem today. All it has to do is resign. That it refuses to do this is an abuse of the power entrusted to them by the people. It may yet also prove to have tragic consequences.

What we need now is a stable government that is perceived to represent the whole country. The retreat of PM Somchai Wongsawat's government to Chiang Mai, where it is cheered on by red-shirted supporters, is so sad in my eyes.

It appears that the government is happy to be seen to represent only its supporters, and that is depressing for the rest of us.

Once we have this stable government in place, simultaneous strategies must be effected to bring all Thais together. We need to work together to repair the damage socially and economically and rebuild our economy.

I am certain this can be done. Importantly, there is nothing wrong with our national balance sheet. What we do need to do, however, is convince the world that we are once again a safe and stable place to visit and to invest. This will involve integrated efforts to both promote and entice - an acknowledgement that we will be starting from a negative position. It will require a commitment to change that has long been needed - on issues of state enterprises, energy policy, education, irrigation and rural regeneration, the role of competition, the role of the private sector, etc.

Given our natural resources, our strategic positioning in a region that is more than ever going to be the world's economic engine and the low base from which we will be building, I have no doubt that it will be an opportunity of our lifetime to "Rebuild Thailand" into the country we can be proud of.

First though, the PAD must quit the airport blockade - their actions have already achieved the goal of exposing the government as incompetent and self-serving. Let the courts do their work and then let us beat them in the only appropriate way - through the ballot box.

Korn Chatikavanij is deputy leader of the Democrat Party.

Email: korn.chatikavanij@gmail.com
____________________________________________________

Business sector proposes solutions to political crisis
Bangkok Post Dec 2 2008

The business sector has proposed three options to bring an end to the country's political standoff, saying it could no longer shoulder the economic losses.

The ideas were floated after a meeting of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB).

Copies of their suggestions would be handed out today, said an industrialist who asked not to be named.

"We will seek the establishment of a national government but our written petition needs to be carefully worded," he said.

Yesterday, the meeting came up with alternatives for the two rival political camps to consider.

The first one is that the government and coalition parties accept that they are unfit to run the country and therefore should give up power and allow other political parties to form a government.

"They have definitely been incompetent in stopping the crisis from spiralling out of control, and their failure is causing more losses for the country. If the government really wants to see an end to the political standoff in a democratic way, it should step down to allow other political parties to set up a government," he said.

It could either be made up of other coalition parties, or even the Democrat party as the core party, as the formation of a new government is allowed by the constitution without a House dissolution.

If this is not acceptable to the government, JSCCIB said the next best option is House dissolution and a new election.

The third way out was asking the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to immediately evacuate both Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

"The PAD must know that its airport seizures have damaged the country vastly and it must leave these airports immediately," said Pramon Suthivong, the chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) who also chairs the JSCCIB.

Attending the JSCCIB meeting were representatives of the TCC, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Thai Bankers' Association (TBA) .

A final solution would be proposed today if none of these measures are acceptable to the two disputing camps.

Mr Pramon admitted that the proposals were not new as other sectors have made similar suggestions in the past.

However, he still hoped the current chaos would soon be a thing of the past.

Paiboon Ponsuwanna, chairman of the FTI's food industry club, warned that if the two sides continue their political games, then 2009 export orders would be hit even more badly.

The airport closures had resulted in the cancellation of trade fairs and business trips, affecting orders and deals for next year.

He said the economic impact from the airport closures would be enormous and may see each economic agency estimating the damage differently.

But the most important thing right now is to find a solution for long-term improvements to contain the damage.
_____________________________________________________

Allies to stick with PPP
Bangkok Post TUESDAY Dec 2 2008
Court ruling likely today on dissolution cases

Key coalition allies of the People Power party (PPP) agreed yesterday to continue their partnership after the Constitution Court hands down its decision on electoral fraud charges, which could lead to their dissolution.

The court will close the case today and announce when it will give its decision.

PPP registrar Samarn Lertwongrat said he disagreed with the court's rush to wrap up the trial today. This closed the doors on the defendants' opportunities to defend themselves.

Faced with the possibility the party and its executive members could be banned, the PPP has already begun looking for a replacement for Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

The PPP has set up the Puea Thai party to accommodate its MPs and other party members if it is disbanded.

Mr Samarn said if Mr Somchai is stripped of the prime ministership, the party has about 20 people it can choose from to succeed him.

Party members would have 60 days to move to the new party, Puea Thai.

Party-list MP Chaowarin Latthasaksiri said in the event the party is dissolved and Mr Somchai removed from office, MPs from the PPP would petition for an extraordinary meeting of the House of Representatives to choose a new prime minister. This was allowed by the constitution.

Chart Thai Party deputy leader Somsak Prissanananthakul said the departure of his party from the coalition government would only add to the political instability in the kingdom.

Chart Thai, which is the second largest party in the government, did not want to add to the troubles.

Puea Pandin deputy leader Mun Patanotai sent the same message. He said all coalition parties would stay together and he hoped the issue would be tabled for talks with the prime minister today.

But some members of Puea Pandin called for the end of the coalition government.

Three executives of the PPP, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya parties were found guilty of poll fraud in the Dec 23 election, putting their parties at risk of being dissolved by the charter court. Members of their executive boards also face having their political rights revoked.

Chaturon Chaisaeng, former leader of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party, yesterday recommended that Mr Somchai step down as prime minister and form a new government before the court gives its verdict.

This would hold MPs together and help the government continue working.

Mr Chaturon said his suggestion was based on the principle of democracy and did not mean he was bowing to the demands of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

Deputy Commerce Minister Songkram Kitlertpairoj, a PPP executive member, said the party's board resolved to oppose the charter court's order that the defendants deliver their closing statements today without testimony from witnesses.

Yuenyad Jaisamut said the party's legal team and its executives will not be present for the closing statements today. The party will send only a lawyer to the court.

Air force chief ACM Itthiporn Suppawong said the best way to end the political impasse was to return power to the people through a general election. He stressed that the Constitution Court's ruling is final and must be respected.

"If nobody accepts the judiciary's authority, you cannot imagine the turmoil the country would be in," he said.

Thousands of government supporters wearing red shirts, led by the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), resumed their rally at the public ground outside City Hall yesterday.

UDD leader Jatuporn Promphan, a host of the political talk show Kwam Jing Wan Nee (Truth Today) said he consulted the PPP's legal team and it was agreed the UDD supporters would not gather outside the court today, despite earlier plans.

Metropolitan deputy police chief Suporn Phansuea said a combined force of 500 police and soldiers would be assigned to secure the court.
_____________________________________________________

Thai government supporters block court ahead of ruling
AFP Tuesaday, Dec 02, 2008

BANGKOK - HUNDREDS of Thai government supporters sealed off Bangkok's Constitutional Court early on Tuesday, forcing a key hearing on the possible dissolution of the ruling party to move, a court official said.

Judges are set to hear closing arguments on Tuesday, and will then consider whether to disband three parties in the ruling coalition because some of their executives were convicted of vote fraud after elections in December 2007.

No date for the verdict has been set, but the court hearing comes as thousands of anti-government protesters in the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) continue a crippling week-long blockade at Bangkok's two airports.

Expecting the verdict to go against the ruling People Power Party (PPP), the government supporters in red shirts massed around the court building and set up makeshift stages on trucks, witnesses said.

'The final hearing will now begin at the Administrative Court building,' a court spokesman said.

Protesters wore headbands and scarves reading 'Against Dictatorship' and 'Love Thaksin', a reference to ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra. They have begun moving to the Administrative Court.

Hundreds of police armed with batons stood guard at the Constitutional Court and soldiers were also deployed around the building, amid fears of clashes between the PAD and pro-government groups as tensions escalate.

The PAD launched its campaign in late May, accusing the government elected in December of acting as a proxy for Thaksin.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat - Thaksin's brother-in-law - would be forced to step down and banned from politics for five years along with all other PPP leaders and executives if the court dissolves the PPP.
____________________________________________________

Govt supporters besiege Constitution Court
The Nation TUESDAY Dec 2 2008 (approx 9 am)

Red-shirted people rally outside the Constitution Court Tuesday morning to attempt to block judges from chairing over the last session of the party dissolution case against the People Power Party and two other parties.

The protesters arrived outside the court and blocked the roads in front of the court since 7 am, Channel 3 reported.

Their number kept rising and it became uncertain whether judges could enter the court conduct the last hearing for leaders of the PPP, Chart Thai and Matchima Tipataya to deliver their closing speeches.

Leaders of the protests announced that they would not allow judges to pass them to enter the court.
_____________________________________________________

Constitution Court judges reach Administrative Court now
The Nation TUESDAY Dec 2 2008 (approx 9:30 am)

Constitution Court judges reached the Administrative Court at 9 am amid tight security, it was reported.

TNN reported that security officials stepped up security at the Administrative Court in Chaeng Wattana to provide protection for the judges.
_____________________________________________________

Red-shirt crowds rallying at Supreme Administrative Court
The Nation Tuesday Dec 2 2008 (approx 9:30 am)

Hundreds of pro-government crowds have started to arrive and rally at the Supreme Administrative Court, Chaeng Wattana Road, switching their rallying site from the Constitution Court.

About 150 anti-riot policemen are deployed to keep peace after the Constitution Court has decided to relocate its session to the Supreme Administrative Court. The high court is expected to convene the session at 10.00 am inspite of the rally.

The red-shirt crowds are protesting the looming verdict which they assume to be unfavourable leading to the party disbandment.

The session is to hear closing statements from three coalition parties, People Power, Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya parties involving in the party-dissolution case.
_____________________________________________________

Banharn arrives for court session
The Nation Tuesday Dec 2 2008 (approx 9:40 am)

Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa has arrived to attend the Constitution Court session although red-shirt crowds are trying to impose a blockade.

Banharn is to participate in delivering the closing statement defending his party for alleged involvement in the electoral fraud punishable by party dissolution.

The session is to start at 10.00 am. The People Power Party is expected to boycott the session.
_____________________________________________________

Anongwan arrives at the court session
The Nation Tuesday Dec 2 2008 (approx 9:40 am)

Matchima Thipataya Party leader Anongwan Thepsuthin has arrived about five minutes late to attend the Constitution Court session.

Anongwan is expected to participate in delivering the closing statement to defend her party from disbandment.

Only the People Power Party is absent from the court session.
_____________________________________________________

Verdict on party dissolution case due today
The Nation Tuesday Dec 2 2008 (approx 10:30 am)

Constitution Court president Chat Chonlaworn has confirmed that the verdict will be handed down today following the morning's hearing for closing statements on the party dissolution case.

Following the prosecution summation, Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa complete the closing statement to defend his party.

Matchima Thipataya Party leader Anongwan Thepsuthin is expected to participate in her party's defence summation.
_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[pattravadee]

[BahtandSold]

THAI PILITICS
The spectre of the UDD's inexorable backlash
Bangkok Post Dec 2 2008

All roads ultimately lead to the red-shirted supporters of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship. Their latest mass rally on Nov 30 on City Hall grounds, peaceful and organised for an on-time adjournment yet again, reveals the UDD organisers' strategy of biding their time and allowing the People's Alliance for Democracy's violent rage and costly rampage to persist.

More than 80,000 pro-Thaksin people in red shirts packed a Bangkok stadium last month in a show of support for the government.

This will have the effect of isolating the PAD, increasing the UDD's appeal and solidifying its moral high ground. It will be a cruel irony to the seemingly untouchable PAD leaders and their backers if they end up winning myopic battles only to lose the longer-term war. They are unwittingly handing deposed and convicted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra a chance to leverage the UDD for his comeback.

The UDD knows exactly what it is doing and what its PAD nemesis is up to. UDD leaders have learned their lesson from two years ago. When they budged and backtracked, they faced the military coup in September 2006, followed by the destruction of their Thai Rak Thai party and the coup-makers' supervised new charter that stacked up constitutional provisions against them.

Yet the UDD through the People Power party (PPP) still won the election in December 2007 handily.

What is now unfolding is a sequel to 2006-07. But this time, the UDD through the embattled government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat will hold its parliamentary ground and cling on to its democratic mandate from less than a year ago. It will oppose all extra-constitutional and extra-parliamentary outcomes. If the PPP is dissolved by the Constitution Court - which remarkably appears to be a foregone conclusion - the UDD leadership has Puea Thai party as a reserve vehicle. It will insist on constitutional stipulations to elect a new prime minister from the Lower House, most likely another UDD-supported MP from Puea Thai.

The post-Somchai window, however, will allow the PAD and its backers to engineer an extra-parliamentary and extra-constitutional interim administration. Certain clauses of the Constitution that require the prime minister to derive from the Lower House could be suspended by the judiciary. This prospect was announced at the UDD rally as a pre-emptive move. Yet the PAD and its high-powered cohorts may have to bite the bullet and come up with an interim, caretaker arrangement, as it is the only path towards what it sees as certain victory.

The interim period would then allow the PAD and its core supporters to reset the rules and constitutional configurations to their preference.

But the UDD will not stand down in the face of what it sees as a decreasingly disguised power grab. Even if the army also bites the bullet during the post-Somchai vacuum to force an interim outcome outside the charter, the red shirts will go on the march to oppose military intervention.

The UDD has demonstrated that it can activate and mobilise many thousands of supporters, vastly more than the 10,000-20,000 PAD yellow shirts that have run amok and brought the Thai economy to its knees.

What the PAD and its backers, along with all of Thailand's stakeholders, should fear is the UDD's fully unleashed sound and fury. It has been pent up, having absorbed the PAD's punches blow after blow with little response. The UDD will no longer be denied and dismissed. When exercised, its wrath will be ferocious.

While the PAD may think that this is its second chance to straighten out a wayward putsch, the UDD leaders will take it as a second chance to wrest back control of the mandate that they should not have relinquished hands down a little more than two years ago.

In the event UDD columns turn on the PAD in full force and take matters into their own hands, widespread civil strife would ensue. Deeply infuriated, it may soon be the UDD's turn to run amok. If they do, no one in Thailand may be able to put a stop to them. But the currently exiled Thaksin will say that he can. Indeed, the UDD red shirts are his ticket home. This is the worst-case scenario for the PAD and its backers, who have unwittingly played into Thaksin's hands by creating the most recent spate of chaos and turmoil.

The writer is Director of the Institute of Security and International Studies, Faculty of Political Science, ChulalongkornUniversity.
_____________________________________________________

Constitution court begins after red shirt protesters try to block
The Nation Dec 2 2008 (reported at approx 11:45 am)

The Constitution Court starts convening to hear closing statements for the party dissolution case at 10am under tight security after pro-government protesters surrounded the the court building.

The court was initially scheduled to conduct the hearing at 9am at the Constitution Court building but it was shifted to the Supreme Administrative court on Chang Wattana road after the red shirt protesters on trucks and foot surrounded the buildings.

Wearing red shirts and carrying clubs, they said they rallied against the convening of the Constituion Court Tuesday to prevent the reading of a verdict expected to lead to political changes and perhaps more turmoil.

They also said they wanted to block the judges from entering the buildings.

After the venue was shifted to the Supreme Administrative Court, the Court was quickly surrounded by more than 1,000 protesters which were member of DAAD.

The court was now under the protection of Thai Army troops armed with M16 rifles.

Chief public prosecutor Seksan Bangsomboon started the session by summing up the case for the prosecution.

Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa is delivering his final defence rebutting his party's involvement in the electoral fraud punishable by party disbandment.

The People Power Party and the Matchima Thipataya Party do not participate in the session. The defence has the right to opt out of the summation session.

About 150 anti-riot policemen are deployed to keep peace after the Constitution Court has decided to relocate its session to the Supreme Administrative Court.

The session is to hear closing statements from three coalition parties, People Power, Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya parties involving in the party-dissolution case.
_____________________________________________________

Chart Thai won't collaborate with Democrats
Bangkok Post Dec 2 2008 (approx 11:50 am)

Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister and Chart Thai party deputy leader Somsak Prissananantakul on Tuesday insisted the Chart Thai party will not join hands with the opposition Democrat party, should his party be dissolved because the number of seats between both parties would still be inadequate to form a government.
_____________________________________________________

Banharn bracing for verdict
The Nation Dec 2 2008 (reported at approx 11:50 am)

Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa said on Tuesday he was bracing for any eventuality for the verdict on the party dissolution case.

"I am still upbeat and have no worries for whatever will happen," he said before departing the court.

Banharn complete making his closing statement to defend his party from disbandment and left the court room around 10.20 am.

Matchima Thipataya Party leader Anongwan Thepsuthin has began to deliver her closing statement around 10.40 am.
_____________________________________________________

British Airways repatriates customers from Bangkok
The Nation Dec 2 2008 (reported at approx 12 noon)

British Airways is urging its customers to call the local number 02 627 1701 to register their details, as the airline is finding ways to repatriate them from Bangkok.

The airline said in a statement issued on Tuesday December that it is working with the oneworld alliance partner, Qantas, to explore a number of options to help the airline's customers to leave Thailand. It is also making preparations for when it is able to fly back in to Bangkok airport.

"In the event that we are able to offer relief flights or we are given clearance to resume flights, we will contact all customers who have registered with us in order to rebook them onto services.

We can understand how frustrating the circumstances are and would ask our customers to bear with us. Unfortunately, the situation is outside our control but we are doing all we can to help customers who have been affected," the airline said.

BA customers can contac British Airways in the UK via phone number 00 44 191 490 7901. The office is open everyday from 6am to 8pm UK (GMT) time.
____________________________________________________

Suvaranbhumi to resume in 7 days, if PAD leaves
Bangkok Post Dec 2 2008 (approx 12:10 pm)

Airports of Thailand (AOT) acting president Serirat Pasutanond said Suvarnabhumi airport could resume operation by about a week once the anti-government protesters led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leave the airport.

Mr Serirat expected authorities will take about seven days to check the readiness of Suvarnabhumi once the protesters stop occupying the airport.

He said 88 aircrafts stranded at Suvarnabhumi are gradually being released to transport the remaining passengers at U-Tapao airport in Rayong province.

AirAsia announced that the airliner had arranged special flights from Chiang Mai, Phuket and U-Tapao airports to more than 10 destinations to facilitate the stranded passengers. People can log on to www.airasia.com for further information.

Thai Airways also offered 14 outgoing flights from U-Tapao, one flight from Chiang Mai airport, two flights from Phuket airport, 16 incoming flights to U-Tapao, a flight to Chiang Mai airport and two flights to Phuket airport. For reservations and further inquiries, please contact Thai Airways at 0-2356-1111, 0-2545-4000, or log on to www.thaiairways.com
_____________________________________________________

Thai leader keeps out of capital in airport crisis
AP Dec 2 2008 (approx 12 noon)

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Thailand's prime minister stayed away from the capital Monday, unable to quell a political crisis that has paralyzed his government for weeks and shut down the city's two main airports and stranded 300,000 foreigners.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has refused to send in police to evict protesters besieging the airports or occupying his office complex for fear of bloodshed, instead making weak pleas for them to go home. The demonstrators vow to stay until Somchai resigns; he has refused.

The prime minister has been working out of the northern city of Chiang Mai since Wednesday, saying he wants to avoid a confrontation with the People's Alliance for Democracy, the group that has been campaigning since May to topple the government.

Asked about the crisis, Somchai told reporters: "The authorities are working in line with due process, but we have to depend on police, soldiers and civil servants." He refused to elaborate.
_____________________________________________________

Constitution Court dissolves People Power Party
The Nation Dec 2 2008 (approx 12:50 pm)

The Constitution Court dissolves People Power Party and ban its executive board members for five years.
_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[BahtandSold]

Charter court dissolves Matchima Thipataya
The Nation Dec 2 2008 (approx 1 pm)

The Constitution Court unanimously dissolves Matchima Thipataya Party and banned its executive board members from politics for five years.
_____________________________________________________

Charter court rules to dissolve Chart Thai Party
The Nation Dec 2 2008 (approx 1:05 pm)

The Constitution Court on Tuesday ruled 8 to 1 to dissolve Chart Thai Party and ban its executive board members for five years.
_____________________________________________________

BBC: Top Thai court bans ruling party
BBC Dec 2 2008 (approx 1:10 pm)

Thailand's constitutional court has dissolved the governing People Power Party (PPP) saying there had been vote fraud during the last election.

The party's leaders, including Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, were also banned from politics for five years.

But, under the constitution most of its MPs can keep their seats under another party name, and should be able to form another government, correspondents say.

Earlier, an anti-government protester was killed at a Bangkok airport.

Local television reported that a grenade had been fired at Don Mueang airport, the capital's domestic hub, which has been occupied by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) since last week.

The PAD accuses Mr Somchai's government of being corrupt and hostile to the much-revered monarchy, and demands they resign.

They also accuse him of being a proxy of his brother-in-law, exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
_____________________________________________________

AP: Court dissolves Thai government for election fraud
Associated press Dec 2 2008 (approx 1:05 pm)

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Thailand's Constitutional Court has dissolved the main ruling party and banned the prime minister along with 36 party executives from politics for 5 years.

The ruling sinks Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's government, which has faced strident protests for months seeking its ouster.

The court found the People's Power Party and its executive members, including Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, guilty of electoral fraud.

Tuesday's ruling raises hopes that thousands of anti-government protesters will end their siege of the country's two main airports.

Constitutional Court President Chat Chalavorn said the "court has decided to dissolve the party to set a political standard and an example."

He said "dishonest political parties undermine Thailand's democratic system."
_____________________________________________________

Thai ruling party ordered dissolved
Al Jazeera Dec 2 2008 (approx 1:15 pm)

Government supporters had surrounded the court to try to stop the hearing [EPA]

Thailand's Constitutional Court has ordered the dissolution of the ruling People Power party for electoral fraud.

The court also ruled on Tuesday that Somchai Wongsawat, the prime minister, and 36 other party members be banned from politics for five years.

Chat Chonlaworn, the head of the nine-judge court panel, said "as the court decided to dissolve the People Power party, therefore the leader of the party and party executives must be banned from politics for five years".

"The court had no other option," he said.

The court had earlier changed venues for the hearing after hundreds of government supporters surrounded the building to try to stop the hearing.

Also on Tuesday, a coalition of Thai business groups urged the ruling party to step down as a way of defusing the political crisis.

The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking also called on the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to end its "illegal" blockade of Bangkok's airports and said the government should call a snap election.

----------------
ED: Please click *REFRESH* on this page to view all updates
----------------

Bloomberg: Thai Court Rules to Disband Ruling Party, Somchai Out (Update1)

Dec. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Thailand’s Constitutional Court dissolved the ruling People Power Party, forcing the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and dozens of party leaders and banning them from politics for five years.

“The party tried to gain power by using unlawful ways,” said Judge Chat Chalaworn in reading the decision to disband the party for vote buying in last year’s election.

Crowds at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which has been occupied for eight days by anti-government protesters demanding Somchai’s resignation, erupted in cheers after the ruling was announced.
_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[BahtandSold]

Thai Court Rules to Disband Ruling Party, Somchai Out (Update2)

Dec. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Thailand’s Constitutional Court dissolved the ruling People Power Party and two coalition partners, forcing Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and dozens of leaders to step down and banning them from politics for five years.

“The court’s ruling may create disagreement among some people,” said Judge Chat Chalaworn in reading the decision to disband the party for vote buying in last year’s election. “But the court wants every party to accept the verdict because the judgment was made in line with the constitution.”

Crowds at Suvarnabhumi Airport, which has been occupied for eight days by anti-government protesters demanding Somchai’s resignation, erupted in cheers after the ruling was announced. Somchai is in Chiang Mai attending a cabinet meeting.

“I have done my best and now I will leave it for the acting person who will do the job,” Somchai said. “I will not leave the party. I will still help out.” A possible replacement may be Chavarat Charnvirakul, who served as acting prime minister when Somchai attended a summit in Peru two weeks ago.

The ruling party’s dissolution could spark a race to form a new government between those who want elected politicians to pick a new prime minister and those who want an appointed leader. A new government will need the endorsement of 80-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who plans to give a speech in two days and commands the allegiance of the country’s 66 million people.

‘No Difference’

“The demonstrators may think that using the king’s powers or using the courts to appoint a government is not a military coup, but for the people who support the government it makes no difference,” said Kanin Boonsuwan, a constitutional law professor at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University. “Even though the prime minister will be gone, parliament will still be there.”

A series of deadly explosions in the past few weeks have left at least two anti-government protesters dead and dozens more injured. A grenade exploded just after midnight today at the main terminal building at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok, the capital’s second busiest, killing one and injuring 23, said Pimrat Amornsakolsuvech of Bangkok’s Narainthorn Hospital’s emergency unit.

Somchai, who has resisted calls to resign or call an election, plans to return to Bangkok today to attend a ceremony ahead of the king’s birthday on Dec. 5. He spent the last week in northern Thailand among his supporters, fearing a coup if he returned to the capital.

“We will continue to fight,” said Kudeb Saikrajang, a spokesman for the dissolved party. “We’ll try to make a deputy prime minister the acting prime minister. Let’s see if we can do that.”

Election Calls Rejected

The PAD accuses Somchai of being a proxy of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, his brother-in-law. The group has rejected calls for fresh elections and wants a new political system that reduces the electoral influence of poor farmers, who comprise Thaksin’s political base.

Security forces haven’t enforced Somchai’s order to clear demonstrators from the airports, where they have vowed to stay until he quits. Army Chief Anupong Paojinda, who helped oust Thaksin in 2006, has called for early elections to solve the six-month crisis.

The guilty verdict forces Somchai and about 30 party executives to step down. Along with Thai Rak Thai’s dissolution last year, Thailand’s courts have now banned more than 140 pro- Thaksin politicians in the past two years.

Quick Court Action

Lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party will stay in control of the executive in the case of disbandment, Jatuporn Prompan, a party member, said late yesterday in an interview with Channel 3. A non-executive party member such as Deputy Prime Minister Chavarat could replace Somchai, he said.

“Our party still has elected members who can serve in this transition,” he said.

The court has moved to end the cases quickly, about six weeks after accepting them. The decision came about 20 minutes after the judges started reading the verdict. In last year’s dissolution of Thai Rak Thai, a party founded by Thaksin, the court took 10 months between accepting the case and delivering its verdict, which took hours to read.

“This is a coordinated effort to overthrow the government, though it is made to look like justice being done,” Veera Musikapong, a pro-government leader, said yesterday. “This is a coup in disguise.”

Non-executive members of the parties set to be disbanded, which account for more than half of the 480 lawmakers in Parliament, may join a new party created to receive pro-Thaksin politicians.

New Prime Minister

Lawmakers now need to hold a parliamentary session to pick a new prime minister, while anti-government protesters may look to install an appointed government.

“If we moved into an extra-constitutional setting and a prime minister that had to be appointed out of the blue, the network around the Thai monarchy would offer up someone to play that role,” said Michael Montesano, a visiting research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore. “Whether this person would have the toughness, the credibility, the charisma, the appeal, and the stature to make good of the situation is an open question. My prediction is no.”

A year ago, the People Power Party won the first election since Thaksin was ousted, taking 75 percent of seats in the Northeast, the country’s poorest region. Thaksin, a billionaire-turned-politician, won rural votes by slashing health-care costs, handing out low-cost loans and propping up crop prices.

King’s Speech

Protesters at Suvarnabhumi Airport, dressed in yellow to show loyalty to the king, accuse Thaksin of corruption and undermining the monarchy. The world’s longest reigning monarch, highly revered after 62 years on the throne, is set to give a speech on the eve of his birthday that may bring a breakthrough.

The opposition Democrat party won only four of 135 seats in the northeast during the last election, while taking 27 of 36 seats in Bangkok. Some anti-government protesters at the airport said they wouldn’t need to seize the airports and change the political system if the Democrats could win enough votes to form a government.
_____________________________________________________

PARTY DISSOLUTION
People Power, Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya parties disbanded
By The Nation

The Constitution Court on Tuesday ruled to disband three coalition parties, People Power, Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya, and banned the three's party executives from electoral process for five years.

The high court held the three parties for accountability on electoral fraud involving party executives, Yongyuth Tiyapairat of People Power, Monthien Songpracha of Chart Thai and Sunthorn Wilawan of Matchima Thipataya.

In the fraud case linked to People Power Party, the high court cited the Yongyuth conviction by the Supreme Court as the ground to penalise the ruling party.

For cases linked to Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya, it invoked the rulings by the Election Commission as the basis to punish the two parties.

The nine presiding judges reached unanimous decisions against People Power and Matchima Thipataya parties. And they formed the eight-to-one decision to punish Chart Thai.

The high court opined that the punishment by disbandment was mandatory as sanctioned by Article 237 of the Constitution and that it had no leeway to selectively punish the party executives on the individual basis.
_____________________________________________________

PM's measured reaction to party disbandment
The Nation (approx 1:45 pm)

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on Tuesday made a measured reaction to the verdict to disband his People Power Party which has effectively caused the loss of his job and the collapse of the government.

"I did my best to administer the country," he said.

Somchai was chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting at his temporary office in Chiang Mai when the Constitution Court handed down the ruling to dissolve three coalition parties, including Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya.
_____________________________________________________

Red-shirted people disperse from Supreme Administrative Court
The Nation (approx 1:50 pm)

Pro-government red-shirted people ended the besieging of the Supreme Administrative Court Tuesday afternoon after cutting off power supply to the court complex.

Leaders of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship asked the protesters to disperse and regroup at the Civic Plaza of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in the evening.

They dispersed after the Supreme Administrative Court issued an order for them to stop the blockade of the court head office within 15 minutes or face legal actions for contempt of court.
_____________________________________________________

Court bans Thai PM from politics
By ABC correspondent Geoff Thompson and wires
Updated 37 minutes ago

Thailand's Constitutional Court has dissolved the country's ruling parties and banned the Prime Minister, Somchai Wongsawat, from politics for five years.

Protesters occupying Thailand's airports have broken into celebration.

Thailand is again without a known leader tonight with a ruling by the country's Constitutional Court dissolving the key parties in the ruling coalition and banning Mr Somchai's from politics for five years.

The parties were found guilty of vote fraud during elections a year ago.

While Mr Somchai and other party executives will be affected by the ban, other politicians from their parties will be able to form other parties without losing their parliamentary seats.

Members of Thailand's ruling People Power Party (PPP) who escaped the ban will "move on" and form another government, a former minister said.

"The verdict comes as no surprise to all of us," Jakrapob Penkair said.

"But our members are determined to move on and we will form a government again out of the majority that we believe we still have."

Mr Jakrapob, a close associate of Mr Thaksin, was speaking from outside Thailand but refused to give his precise location.

Crowds of anti-government protesters within Suvarnabhumi international airport could be heard erupting into applause on hearing the news.

There is speculation a new party loyal to former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra may be formed with his cousin at its head.

Meanwhile, Thailand has postponed its hosting of an Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit until March due to its deepening political crisis, government spokesman Nattawut Saikuar said.

No comment

Mr Somchai has been marooned in the northern pro-government stronghold of Chiang Mai since Wednesday. He was due to attend a military ceremony later ahead of the king's December 5 birthday.

He has so far made no comment on his party's dissolution.

The judge, wearing a black robe with a scarlet collar, read the order live on national television.

He appealed for calm, saying: "No matter whether you are satisfied or not with the verdict, we ask you to accept it."

About 500 angry government supporters massed outside the administrative court, where judges read the ruling after earlier rallies by the group forced them to change location.

Riot police with bullet-proof shields stood guard, as tensions in Thailand remained on the brink with the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) continuing their week-long crippling airport siege.

The ruling came after a blast early Tuesday killed one protester and injured 22 others from the rival PAD at the domestic Don Mueang airport. He died from shrapnel wounds to the stomach, an emergency services spokeswoman told AFP.

It also came just hours after the royalist PAD ended a three-month sit-in at the prime minister's offices in Bangkok following a series of similar attacks, and redeployed supporters to Don Mueang and the Suvarnabhumi international airport.

The PAD launched its campaign in late May, accusing the government of acting as a proxy for Mr Thaksin - Somchai's brother-in-aw -- and of being hostile to the monarchy.

The PAD, who dress in yellow which they say symbolises their devotion to Thailand's much-revered king, are backed by the Bangkok business elite and middle classes, along with elements in the military and the palace.

Mr Thaksin, whose supporters dress in red, is hugely popular with Thailand's rural and urban poor, especially in the north, his native area.

The PPP had boycotted the court proceedings, saying the court had made up its mind to disband the party.

Ruling party lawmaker Pichit Srivorakhan said before the ruling that the legal process had been unfair, adding: "We are rejecting any verdict."

They have said they are ready to move lawmakers into a shell party called Pheu Thai (For Thais), and continue administering the country, but there was no immediate reaction.

The unrest continued to take a heavy toll on the 350,000 travellers stranded in Thailand by the crisis, with three tourists including two Canadians dying in road accidents as they tried to flee the "Land of Smiles."
_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[BahtandSold]

Chaovarat becomes caretaker PM
The Nation (approx 2:05 pm)

No-1 Deputy Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul will become caretaker prime minister pending a meeting of the caretaker Cabinet, former PM's Office Ministers Sukhumpong Ngonkham said Tuesday.

He said the caretaker Cabinet would make a former decision as to who should be caretaker prime minister replacing disqualified Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.
_____________________________________________________

Asean summit postponed to March

The Nation (approx 2:10 pm)

The Cabinet Tuesday approved the proposal of the Foreign Ministry to postpone the Asean summit to March, former PM's Office Ministers Sukhumpong Ngonkham said.
_____________________________________________________

PAD: entire Cabinet must leave office
The Nation (approx 2:15 pm)

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.
_____________________________________________________

PAD Leaders to Meet Tonight to Discuss PAD's Next Move
TOC UPDATE (approx 2:20 pm)

The People's Alliance for Democracy has cheered and clapped wildly after the Constitution Court had ruled this morning to disband the People Power party. The leaders are scheduled to meet tonight to discuss the PAD's next move.

The People's Alliance for Democracy protesters are to remain at Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi airports even after the court has ruled to disband the People Power party. The PAD hosts have told the protesters that their fight isn't over even after the brief victory this morning.

The next step is for the MPs to convene to nominate a new premier. With most People Power party MPs escaping the political ban, they will most likely vote for another People Power party sponsored candidate. Some of the names which could be nominated to replace former PM Somchai Wongsawat are Chalerm Yoobamrung and Mingkwan Saengsuwan.
_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[friesman]

And now the million dollar question: is this new situation enough to move the protesters out of the Bangkok airports ? ? ? ? ? ?

I sincerely hope so ! ! ! !



" God was missing for six days. Eventually, Michael, the archangle, found him, resting on the seventh day. He inquired of God.
"Where have you been?" God sighed a deep sigh of satisfaction, and proudly pointed downwards
through the clouds, "Look, Michael. Look what I've made." Archangle Michael looked puzzled, and said, " What is it?"
"It's a planet," replied God, "and I've put life on it. I'm going to call it Earth and it's going to be a
great place of balance." " Balance?" inquired Michael, still confused. God explained, pointing to
different parts of Earth.
"For example, northern Europe will be a place of great opportunity and wealth, while southern Europe is going to be poor. Over there I've placed a continent of white people, over there is a continent of black people. Balance in all things,"
God continued pointing out to different countries. "This one will be extremely hot, while this one will be very cold and covered in ice"
The Archangel, impressed by God's work, then pointed to a land area and said, " What's that one?" "Ah," said God.
"That's Thailand, the most glorious place on earth. There are beautiful beaches, rivers and streams, lakes, jungles, hills, plains and waterfalls."
Michael gasped in wonder and admiration, but then he proclaimed,
"What about balance, God? You said there would be balance." God smiled,
"I populated it with Thais."
_________________
JGK
Pattaya, Thailand

"It Is Mei Sizzen Net To Dwaen"

[BahtandSold]

PPP dissolved
BANGKOK POST (finally)

The Constitution Court on Tuesday banned Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from politics for five years and dissolved the ruling People Power party (PPP) and two other coalition parties, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya, over voting fraud cases.

"As the court unanimously decided to dissolve the PPP, therefore the leader of the party and party executives must be banned from politics for five years," said Chat Chonlaworn, head of the nine-judge court panel.

"The court had no other option," he said.

The verdict came amid a confrontation between Somchai, the brother-in-law of ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, and anti-government protesters occupying Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports.

Somchai was elected by parliament on September 17 after his predecessor, Samak Sundaravej, was forced from office last month for appearing in television cooking shows.

The judge, wearing a black robe with a scarlet collar, read the order live on national television.

"No matter whether you are satisfied or not with the verdict, we ask you to accept it," he said.

The verdict said the party must be disbanded because PPP executives had been convicted of vote fraud after elections in December 2007.

"Although some party executives had no knowledge of the election fraud, the law stipulates clearly... the party must scrutinise its executives thus the party cannot deny responsibility," Chat said.

The court banned 109 PPP, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya executives from politics for five years. — (AFP)
_____________________________________________________

Thai court dissolves ruling party
Al Jazeera (approx 2:45 pm)

Thailand's Constitutional Court has ordered the dissolution of the ruling People Power party (PPP) for electoral fraud.

The court also ruled on Tuesday that Somchai Wongsawat, the prime minister, and 36 other party members be banned from politics for five years.

Chat Chalavorn, the head of the nine-judge court panel, said the "court has decided to dissolve the party to set a political standard and an example", adding that "dishonest political parties undermine Thailand's democratic system".

"The court had no other option," he said.

Parnthep Pourpangan, a spokesman for the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) which has been campaigning to bring down the government, told Al Jazeera that the verdict by the constitutional court was a victory for the people.

"We have been trying to protect the constitution, and the PPP have been trying to amend it to put forward their interests," he said.

"Now we will have a meeting with the PAD leaders, and we have to decide which course of action to take. We hope to end the protests at the airport, and we are aware of the disruptions caused, but our aim is to keep our Thai constitution intact."

Party to regroup

The constitutional court also ordered the two other members of the ruling coalition - the Chart Thai party and the Machima Thipatai party - to be dissolved on Tuesday and its leaders banned from politics for five years.

Minutes after the ruling, however, the PPP said members would regroup under a new name and propose a new prime minister.

Anti-government protesters say they will meet to decide their next course of action [AFP]
Kudeb Saikrachangm a PPP spokesman, said the verdict had been expected and predetermined.

"We have known beforehand that this verdict would be announced, it is not a new development," he said.

"They [the courts] had a plan to destroy Thai Rak Thai party and now it is the PPP. The public are well aware of this.

"We want the people to understand the problems we are facing, and people will stand up, but this is another coup committed by the courts, and not by the military."

The Thai Rak Thai party, which was similarly dissolved by a military-appointed constitutional tribunal in May last year and its leaders banned from politics, regrouped as the PPP soon after.

Situation tense

The court had earlier changed venues for the hearing after hundreds of government supporters surrounded the building to try to stop the hearing.

Al Jazeera's Step Vaessen, reporting from outside the Administrative Court building where the case was moved to, described the situation outside the court as tense after the ruling.

Pro-government protesters who said the verdict was an attempt to unseat the democratically-elected government, announced they would block judges from leaving the court building.

Some were carrying weapons such as sticks and others were calling on people to fight the so-called judicial coup as security forces remained largely on the sidelines, our correspondent said.

Deadly blast

Hours before the court ruling, an anti-government protester was killed and 22 others were wounded in a bomb blast at Bangkok's besieged Don Muang airport.

Local Thai television Channel 7 said a grenade was fired from a flyover near the domestic airport which has been occupied by the PAD since Thursday.

The yellow-shirted PAD supporters have been trying for months to force Somchai out, accusing him of being a proxy for Thaksin Shinawatra, the premier ousted in a 2006 coup and the original target of the anti-government campaign.

Thaksin, who is Somchai's brother-in-law, is in exile after fleeing the country to escape corruption charges.

So far, six people have been killed and scores injured in bomb attacks, clashes with police and street battles between government opponents and supporters.

Late on Monday the PAD supporters began leaving the protest camp at Government House which they had occupied since late August, to consolidate their control of the Bangkok airports.
_____________________________________________________

Thailand's government dissolved
TIMES ONLINE (UK)

Somchai Wongsawat greets his cabinet shortly before his government was dissolved
Anne Barrowclough

Thailand's government has been disbanded and the Prime Minister barred from politics for five years in a court ruling that has prompted fears of a slide into civil war.

The Constitution Court was widely expected to find the government guilty of electoral fraud and order its dissolution but its ruling has renewed fears of violence and caused some to question whether the country has a functioning goverment any more.

The ruling came as hundreds of red-shirted government supporters of demonstrated noisily outside. They have already declared the ruling against the People Power Party (PPP) led by Somchai Wongsawat, the Prime Minister, as a "coup in disguise."

The ruling was greeted with delight by the militant People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who have been trying to topple Mr Somchai's government for months. They have occupied government House since August and have blocked Bangkok's two main airports for over a week, in a last ditch bid to topple Mr Somchai, whom they accuse of being a pawn for his brother-in-law, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Thaksin was ousted in a 2006 coup and is now in exile after being convicted of corruption.

"My heart is happy. My friends are very happy," said Pailin Jampapong, a 41-year-old Bangkok housekeeper choking back tears as she jumped up and down.

Nattawut Sai-kau, a government spokesman, said Mr Somchai and his 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 told AP.

He also said the government was postponing the ASEAN summit of Asian leaders, due to take place in Thailand in mid December.

Hours before the court hearing a grenade was fired from a flyover near the domestic airport hours, killing one anti-government protester and wounding 22 people.

The electoral fraud case was scheduled to be heard at the Constitutional Courthouse in Bangkok on Tuesday, but authorities moved it after hundreds of red-shirted government supporters surrounded the building.

The ruling on allegations of vote fraud in the December 2007 election will not necessarily mean a snap election as many PPP MPs will simply switch to a new "shell" party already set up.

Fears of violent clashes, or worse, are growing with the Bangkok Post suggesting the country could fall into civil war.

"It now seems that violence cannot be avoided. Some even predict what has been unthinkable for 700 years: a civil war," the newspaper said in an editorial.

It also asked: "Does Thailand have a functioning government?"

Several thousand PAD supporters have occupied the prime minister's offices since August but the PAD has said it would hand the compound back to the authorities on Tuesday.

The PAD blockade of the airports ahs stranded hundreds of thousands of tourists in Thailand, devastating the country's tourist industry and threatening its fragile economy.

The chaos has also brought about a postponement of the ASEAN summit, due to take place in Thailand mid December.
_____________________________________________________

Thai Court Disbands Ruling Party
NEW YORK TIMES

BANGKOK — The Constitutional Court on Tuesday banned Thailand’s prime minister and many senior members of the governing coalition from politics and ordered the largest party in Parliament disbanded. The ruling forces out Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, the third prime minister this year, but may not resolve the country’s national crisis.

Officials from Mr. Somchai’s People Power Party announced they have made plans to join a new political party, Pua Thai, and would call for the election of a new prime minister on December 8, according to the Reuters.

The court also ordered two coalition partners, the Machima Thipatai and the Chart Thai parties, to be disbanded.

Thousands of antigovernment protesters occupying Suvarnabhumi International Airport, the country’s main tourist gateway, roared when one of their leaders announced the news of the court’s decision from a makeshift stage outside the airport’s departure hall.

The cheers were followed by a minute of silence for the several protesters who were killed in clashes and grenade attacks during the protest campaign.

“I’m glad, I feel relieved, it’s like something that we have been carrying is now gone,” said Tonkla Maksuk, 49, a volunteer nurse at the airport protest. ““I feel that this is still a country of laws.”

The protesters have paralyzed the government and blockaded Bangkok’s two main airports. They have occupied the offices of Mr. Somchai and his cabinet at Government House in central Bangkok since August. Mr. Somchai’s resignation has been their principal demand, and they have charged that he is a pawn of the fugitive former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. It was unclear, however, if the court’s ruling would bring the crippling demonstrations to a halt.

“I’m extremely happy that we have won over tyranny, over the Thaksin regime, which is corrupt and dictatorial,” said another protester, Chokchuang Chutinaton, moments after the court decision was announced at the airport. “Truth will always win over evil, according to Mahatma Gandhi.”

There continue to be fears of increased violence in Bangkok, underlined by an explosion at Don Muang, the city’s domestic airport, that killed one protester early Tuesday.

The courts have taken an active role in politics over the past two years, in part emboldened by a rare speech by King Bhumibol Adulyadej to judges in April 2006. The king called the political situation at the time “a mess” and added: “You’d better discuss with others what solutions are available, otherwise the country will be in jeopardy.”

In May 2007 the constitutional court banned Mr. Thaksin and 110 other senior party leaders from participating in politics for five years. The court also forced the dissolution of Thai Rak Thai, the predecessor party to the People Power Party, which was disbanded Tuesday. The court ruled that Mr. Thaksin and his allies were guilty of election fraud.

In September, Samak Sundaravej, who was prime minister at the time, was forced from office when the Constitutional Court ruled that he had unlawfully accepted payments to appear on cooking shows while in office.

The antigovernment protests that intensified last week with the takeover of the two airports have plunged Thailand into its worst national crisis in at least a decade and threaten to severely damage the country’s economy.

The blockades have hurt some of the country’s crucial industries, especially tourism, at a time when the Thai economy was already showing signs of a slowdown because of the global financial crisis.

“Tell the world we did not want to blockade the airports,” Dr. Chutinaton said at the protest at Suvarnabhumi Airport. ““It was a desperate measure to achieve our goal.”

Mark McDonald contributed reporting from Hong Kong.
_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[pattravadee]

[BahtandSold]

[BahtandSold]

Thai premier accepts court ruling to step down
AP 55 minutes ago

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Thailand's Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat says he has accepted a court ruling to step down because of electoral fraud committed by his political party.

Somchai told reporters in the northern city of Chiang Mai the court's verdict was "not a problem. I was not working for myself. Now I will be a full-time citizen."

He abruptly ended a Cabinet meeting after the Constitutional Court in the capital, Bangkok, dissolved Thailand's top three ruling parties for electoral fraud.

The ruling bars Somchai from politics for five years and brings down his government, which has faced months of strident protests seeking its ouster.

The ruling sets the stage for thousands of protesters to end their siege of the country's two main airports. The siege has left more than 300,000 travelers stranded in Thailand.
_____________________________________________________

Police escort Constitution Court judges out of Supreme Administrative Court
The Nation (approx 3:20 pm)

Four plainclothes police escorted each of nine Constitution Court judges out of the Supreme Administrative Court after they delivered rulings in three party-dissolution cases.

The first three judges left the court while some angry protesters remained outside the court. Soldiers guarded them while they were leaving the court head office.

The six others left after all protesters had dispersed.
_____________________________________________________

Thai protesters unlikely to leave airport yet
AFP

Leaders of a protest movement occupying Bangkok’s airports will meet Tuesday, after a court dissolved Thailand’s ruling party, but are unlikely to lift their blockade, an official said.

Anti-government demonstrators took over the capital’s international and domestic airports last week, saying that they would not leave until Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and his government resigned.

Thailand’s constitutional court on Tuesday barred Somchai from politics for five years and disbanded the three main parties in the ruling coalition.

But the ruling coalition party said after the verdict that it planned to regroup under a new name and continue to stay in government.

“The leaders will meet again and will have a press conference this afternoon,” said Sirichai Maingam, a senior member of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) anti-government movement.

“I think we are not moving out of here (the airports) at present because we just moved from Government House.”

PAD supporters on Monday began ending a three-month sit-in at Government House, where the prime minister’s cabinet offices are located, and began redeploying at the airports. - AFP
_____________________________________________________

Top Thai court bans ruling party
BBC

Thailand's constitutional court has dissolved the governing People Power Party and two of its coalition partners for fraud during the last election.

The parties' leaders, including Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, have been banned from politics for five years.

It is unclear if the ruling ends a months-long political crisis, since other coalition MPs have vowed to form another government under a new name.

Earlier, an anti-government protester was killed at a Bangkok airport.

Local television reported that a grenade had been fired at Don Mueang airport, the capital's domestic hub, which has been occupied by the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) since last week.

-------------------------------

Ed: BBC link with video of the scene outside court today:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7759960.stm
_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[BahtandSold]

Cargo flights may restart from Bangkok on Tuesday
REUTERS Tue Dec 2, 2008 3:05am EST

BANGKOK, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Cargo flights can start leaving Bangkok's besieged Suvarnabhumi airport again as soon as shippers and airlines are ready, the airport authority said, and a cargo sector official said some were due to leave later on Tuesday.

"I have authorised pure cargo flights to resume from 0900 hours (0200 GMT) this morning and it's up to them to start when they are ready," Serirat Prasutanond, managing director of Airports of Thailand PCL AOT.BK, told Reuters.

He said passenger flights would not restart until anti-government protesters had ended their sit-in, which has halted all passenger and cargo flights for the past week. "Passengers' safety comes first," he said.

The cargo flights were scheduled after a meeting between the Transport Ministry and private businesses on Monday, said Kasem Jariyawong, president of the Thai Airfreight Forwarders Association, adding he did not expect the protesters to block these flights.

Kasem said container trucks could enter the airport through an entrance not blocked by the protesters.

The cargo flights will mostly involve Asian carriers such as Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas and Malaysian Airline Systems.

"The cargo planes are ready but shippers need time to repack their cargoes, which have earlier been moved out of the airport after they were delayed by the protest. It takes time to truck them back there," he said.

"An agreement was reached for cargo flights to resume from 0900 hours local Tuesday (0200 GMT) to 1800 hours (1100 GMT) Wednesday. If things go well, we will try to extend them at least for a week," he said.

However, Serirat said the situation would be reviewed every 15 days, and that the authority would keep extending permission for cargo flights as long as there was no disruption from protesters.

Kasem expected the first cargo plane out to be a Singapore Airlines flight, which he said was already loading.

NOT ANTI-BUSINESS

A prolonged closure of the $4 billion Suvarnabhumi airport, a major Asian hub that can handle 3 million tonnes of cargo a year, would do huge damage to the export-driven Thai economy, which is already struggling to cope with a global slowdown.

The protesters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) see the airport disruption as a way of toppling the government, which they say is a front for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was removed by the military in September 2006.

Current Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and other cabinet ministers will have to step down as a result of a court verdict on Tuesday, which found three ruling parties guilty of electoral fraud and said they must disband, but Thaksin allies are likely to form the next government.

However, Kasem was optimistic cargo would not be blocked.

"This is a window left open and there is no reason for protesters to block it. The PAD has said it is not against private business," he said.

Kasem said earlier that around 1,500 tonnes of cargo worth some 3 billion baht ($85 million) left the airport each day. Some 600-700 tonnes was perishable goods such as food and flowers. The rest was mostly electronics and computer parts, plus jewellery.

Another 1,000 tonnes of inbound cargo and 600 tonnes of transit cargo also go through Suvarnabhumi each day. After the airport was shut, some cargo firms moved their goods out of Suvarnabhumi by truck and through the south to Malaysia, where they were airlifted from Kuala Lumpur. Some were also sent by sea to Singapore, and then flown out from there. ($1 = 35.71 baht) (Editing by Alan Raybould)
_____________________________________________________

Court dissolves three coalition parties: PM must go

BANGKOK, Dec 2 (TNA) -- The ongoing political turbulence in Thailand entered a new phase Tuesday after the Constitutional Court judged that the ruling People Power Party (PPP), headed by embattled Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, and two parties in his coalition were guilty of electoral fraud in last December's general election, and ordered them dissolved.

Under the 2007 constitution, written by appointees of the September 2006 coupmakers, senior executives of the PPP and two other parties -- Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya -- would be banned from politics for five years. MPs of the three parties must move to new parties within 60 days in order to retain their parliamentary seats.

The court ruled to convict the senior executives of the three coalition parties of vote buying in the general election held in December 2007.

Mr. Somchai did not attend the court session but presided over the weekly Cabinet meeting, convened in the northern province of Chiang Mai. He will also have to leave his office.

But Yuenyat Jaisamut, a lawyer of PPP, said before the verdict was made that his party would not accept the court ruling because no formal advance notice was given to PPP that the verdict, instead of being handed down at the Constitutional Court, would be given at the Administrative Court building.

Charging that the Constitutional Court had no right to move the site of the ruling and that such a change of venue was against the law, Mr. Yuenyat said the accused officers of the PPP were unable to appear for the ruling.

For that reason, he said, the party considered the ruling to be null and void.

The Court decided to move the site to the Administrative Court after angry government supporters gathered at the Constitutional Court since early in the day on Tuesday in a bid to pressure and prevent the nine judges from attending the session.

Soon after the verdict was issued, government spokesman Natthawut Saikuea said the three remaining parties in the coalition government would carry on forming a coalition government.

Acknowledging the Court's verdict, Mr. Somchai said tersely that he had "done everything for the happiness (of the people) of Thailand". (TNA)
_____________________________________________________

Bangkok's main airport reopens to cargo flights
AFP 45 minutes ago

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — A Thai aviation official says that Suvarnabhumi international airport has reopened to cargo flights despite an ongoing siege of the facility.

Aviation Department general director Chaisak Anksuwan says cargo flights were authorized to land at the airport as of 9 a.m. Tuesday and the first flights arrived during the afternoon.

He said "several flights have landed" and authorities hoped the situation would return to normal "soon" at the airport that has been closed for one week by protesters.

The restoration of cargo flights was unrelated to an afternoon court decision cheered by anti-government protesters. The court dissolved the ruling party and forced the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.
_____________________________________________________


Thailand prime minister to step down after court
guardian.co.uk, Tuesday December 2 2008 09.22 GMT

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.

But other members of the three parties that escaped the ban can join other parties, form a new coalition and choose a new prime minister. It is expected that Somchai will remain the caretaker prime minister until then.

Pad maintains that Somchai is a puppet of his brother-in-law, the ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Alarmed by rural support for Thaksin's populist policies it wants an appointed parliament, dominated by bureaucrats and the military.

Thousands of members of the protest alliance have been at the main Suvarnabhumi international airport and the domestic Don Muang airport for almost a week. Earlier today, an anti-government protester was killed at Don Muang when a grenade was thrown.

The protests have stranded more than 300,000 and brought the Thailand's lucrative tourism industry to a standstill.

At the Suvarnabhumi airport, the verdict was read out on a protest stage outside the main terminal.

"It is good because the [corrupt] politicians have been told to get out. It is good for Thailand. This is a blow for corruption," said Nong Sugrawut, a 55-year-old businessman who was among the thousands camped at Suvarnabhumi.

Politicians banned by the verdict refused to comment.

"The court just banned me and my party from political activity so I can't give you any comment," said Kuthep Saikrajang, a People's Power party spokesman.
_____________________________________________________

Thai protesters to leave Bangkok airport
From correspondents in Bangkok
Agence France-Presse (approx 4:30 pm)

ANTI-GOVERNMENT demonstrators have agreed to allow flights to resume from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport after a week-long blockade, a protest leader said.

"As of this moment the PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) has allowed flights to take off and land immediately, both passenger and cargo flights," senior alliance member Somkiat Pongpaiboon said.

The PAD occupied Suvarnabhumi and the smaller Don Mueang domestic airport last week, stranding 350,000 passengers and causing massive damage to the Thai economy.

Thailand's airport authority confirmed there was an agreement with protesters, saying flights may be able to resume if there are no "technical problems".

"We have reached an agreement with PAD to start clearing protesters from the passenger zone to reopen Suvarnabhumi Airport," said Vudhihaandhu Vichairatama, chairman of the board of Airports of Thailand.

"But how soon depends on technical issues. If there is no technical problem the first flights would resume within 24 hours."
_____________________________________________________

Suvarnabhumi to welcome incoming flights
Bangkok Post Dec 2 2008 (approx 5 pm)

Updates continue, please click page or next below


_________________
.


www.BahtSold.com
Connecting People · Connecting Thailand

[emailmark]

what's going on in Bangkok that is on every thai channel? Is the King going to speak?