Bangkok, Jul 8: Thailand's main ruling People's Power Party (PPP) faced a crisis today after a long-awaited judicial verdict found a leading PPP member guilty of electoral fraud, which could lead to the PPP’s dissolution.
In a late afternoon verdict that lasted for two hours, the Supreme Court of Thailand ruled that former PPP deputy leader and ex-parliament speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat was guilty of electoral fraud during the December 2007 elections to restore democracy to Thailand.
Under Thailand’s post-coup Constitution, Mr Yongyuth's disqualification as an elected member of parliament could lead to the PPP being disbanded.
Similar complaints of electoral fraud have been filed in the Supreme Court by the national election commission against key members of three other ruling coalition parties.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej met his coalition partners today ahead of the verdict and according to local media reports Mr Samak was advised to dissolve parliament in case Mr Yongyuth was found guilty by the court.
The ruling follows a Constitution Court verdict earlier today that Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama had violated the Constitution by signing a joint communiqué with his Cambodian counterpart in support of Phnom Penh's application for UNESCO World Heritage status for the 900-year-old Preah Vihar Hindu temple on the Thai-Cambodian border.
The main opposition Democrat Party today announced it would move a motion in parliament to impeach the foreign minister.
Awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice four decades ago, the temple dispute is a highly emotive, political issue in Thailand and the two countries are negotiating territorial control over a small area near the temple.
In a late afternoon verdict that lasted for two hours, the Supreme Court of Thailand ruled that former PPP deputy leader and ex-parliament speaker Yongyuth Tiyapairat was guilty of electoral fraud during the December 2007 elections to restore democracy to Thailand.
Under Thailand’s post-coup Constitution, Mr Yongyuth's disqualification as an elected member of parliament could lead to the PPP being disbanded.
Similar complaints of electoral fraud have been filed in the Supreme Court by the national election commission against key members of three other ruling coalition parties.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej met his coalition partners today ahead of the verdict and according to local media reports Mr Samak was advised to dissolve parliament in case Mr Yongyuth was found guilty by the court.
The ruling follows a Constitution Court verdict earlier today that Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama had violated the Constitution by signing a joint communiqué with his Cambodian counterpart in support of Phnom Penh's application for UNESCO World Heritage status for the 900-year-old Preah Vihar Hindu temple on the Thai-Cambodian border.
The main opposition Democrat Party today announced it would move a motion in parliament to impeach the foreign minister.
Awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice four decades ago, the temple dispute is a highly emotive, political issue in Thailand and the two countries are negotiating territorial control over a small area near the temple.
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