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| Top Thai court ousts PM Somchai | Top Thai court ousts PM Somchai |
| (4 days later) | |
| A Thai court has ruled that PM Somchai Wongsawat must step down over election fraud, a ruling he has accepted. | A Thai court has ruled that PM Somchai Wongsawat must step down over election fraud, a ruling he has accepted. |
| His governing People Power Party and two of its coalition partners have been ordered to disband and the parties' leaders have been barred from politics. | His governing People Power Party and two of its coalition partners have been ordered to disband and the parties' leaders have been barred from politics. |
| But 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. | But 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. |
| There are unconfirmed reports of a deal to open an airport closed by protests. | There are unconfirmed reports of a deal to open an airport closed by protests. |
| Anti-government protests at Bangkok's main Suvarnabhumi international airport, and the smaller Don Mueang airport, have stranded tens of thousands of travellers, bringing the country's important tourism industry to a standstill. | Anti-government protests at Bangkok's main Suvarnabhumi international airport, and the smaller Don Mueang airport, have stranded tens of thousands of travellers, bringing the country's important tourism industry to a standstill. |
| Agreement was reached to resume cargo flights from Suvarnabhumi on Tuesday, and a leader of the anti-government protesters was reported to say that passenger flights would be allowed as well. | Agreement was reached to resume cargo flights from Suvarnabhumi on Tuesday, and a leader of the anti-government protesters was reported to say that passenger flights would be allowed as well. |
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| Protesters angry at the decision demonstrate outside court, while those occupying the airports celebrate | Protesters angry at the decision demonstrate outside court, while those occupying the airports celebrate |
| Officials said the airport would be closed to passenger flights until 15 December, reports the BBC's Quentin Somerville at Suvarnabhumi. | Officials said the airport would be closed to passenger flights until 15 December, reports the BBC's Quentin Somerville at Suvarnabhumi. |
| Both airports have been occupied by the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) since last week. | Both airports have been occupied by the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) since last week. |
| Just hours before the constitutional court's ruling, an anti-government protester was killed at Don Mueang airport, the country's domestic hub, in a grenade attack. | Just hours before the constitutional court's ruling, an anti-government protester was killed at Don Mueang airport, the country's domestic hub, in a grenade attack. |
| 'Political standard' | 'Political standard' |
| PAD supporters accuse Mr Somchai's administration of being corrupt and hostile to the much-revered monarchy, and want the entire government to resign. | PAD supporters accuse Mr Somchai's administration of being corrupt and hostile to the much-revered monarchy, and want the entire government to resign. |
| They also accuse Mr Somchai of being a proxy for his brother-in-law, exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. | They also accuse Mr Somchai of being a proxy for his brother-in-law, exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. |
| Mr Somchai accepted the court's verdict, saying he was now "an ordinary citizen". | Mr Somchai accepted the court's verdict, saying he was now "an ordinary citizen". |
| ESCALATING CONFLICT September 2006: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra ousted in military coupFebruary 2008: Samak Sundaravej sworn in as prime ministerAugust 2008: PAD protesters occupy government buildings, demanding the government step downSeptember 2008: Mr Samak dismissed for violating conflict of interest law. Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin's brother-in-law, becomes prime ministerOctober 2008: Thaksin given a two-year jail sentence for corruption in his absence26 November 2008: Anti-government protesters take control of Bangkok's main airport2 December 2008: Thai court rules that PM Somchai should be banned from politics, and his party should be dissolved Thai crisis exposes class struggleQ&A: Bangkok protestsExtra planes for stranded Britons | ESCALATING CONFLICT September 2006: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra ousted in military coupFebruary 2008: Samak Sundaravej sworn in as prime ministerAugust 2008: PAD protesters occupy government buildings, demanding the government step downSeptember 2008: Mr Samak dismissed for violating conflict of interest law. Somchai Wongsawat, Thaksin's brother-in-law, becomes prime ministerOctober 2008: Thaksin given a two-year jail sentence for corruption in his absence26 November 2008: Anti-government protesters take control of Bangkok's main airport2 December 2008: Thai court rules that PM Somchai should be banned from politics, and his party should be dissolved Thai crisis exposes class struggleQ&A: Bangkok protestsExtra planes for stranded Britons |
| Earlier on Tuesday, a protest by hundreds of red-shirted, pro-government supporters forced the constitutional court to move its final hearing to Bangkok's administrative courthouse. | Earlier on Tuesday, a protest by hundreds of red-shirted, pro-government supporters forced the constitutional court to move its final hearing to Bangkok's administrative courthouse. |
| After fewer than three hours in session, the head of the nine-judge panel, Chat Chonlaworn, announced that the court had found the People Power Party (PPP), the Machima Thipatai party and the Chart Thai party guilty of vote-buying, and unanimously agreed to disband them. | After fewer than three hours in session, the head of the nine-judge panel, Chat Chonlaworn, announced that the court had found the People Power Party (PPP), the Machima Thipatai party and the Chart Thai party guilty of vote-buying, and unanimously agreed to disband them. |
| Dozens of the PPP's executive members, including Mr Somchai, were also found guilty of personal involvement and banned from politics for five years. | Dozens of the PPP's executive members, including Mr Somchai, were also found guilty of personal involvement and banned from politics for five years. |
| Judge Chat said that he hoped the ruling would "set a political standard". | Judge Chat said that he hoped the ruling would "set a political standard". |
| Outside the court, where a large crowd of pro-government activists had gathered after learning of the relocation, there was a furious reaction. | Outside the court, where a large crowd of pro-government activists had gathered after learning of the relocation, there was a furious reaction. |
| Prime Minister Somchai's supporters accused the judges of sabotaging democracy and going against the people's will. | Prime Minister Somchai's supporters accused the judges of sabotaging democracy and going against the people's will. |
| One former minister said members of the PPP who had escaped the political ban imposed on its leaders would regroup and form another coalition government. | One former minister said members of the PPP who had escaped the political ban imposed on its leaders would regroup and form another coalition government. |
| "The verdict comes as no surprise to all of us," Jakrapob Penkair told the Reuters news agency. "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." | "The verdict comes as no surprise to all of us," Jakrapob Penkair told the Reuters news agency. "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." |
| Other PPP members said they would seek a parliamentary vote for a new prime minister on 8 December. | Other PPP members said they would seek a parliamentary vote for a new prime minister on 8 December. |
| Under the constitution, the disbanded parties are legally allowed to re-form under different names and form a new coalition, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. | Under the constitution, the disbanded parties are legally allowed to re-form under different names and form a new coalition, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. |
| Divisions exposed | Divisions exposed |
| The court's ruling will provoke anger throughout the heartland of the government's supporters in the north and north-east, says our correspondent. | The court's ruling will provoke anger throughout the heartland of the government's supporters in the north and north-east, says our correspondent. |
| The ruling may not appease the PAD, especially if the governing coalition reforms under a new leadership without fresh elections being held. | The ruling may not appease the PAD, especially if the governing coalition reforms under a new leadership without fresh elections being held. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| Thailand has been in political turmoil since former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup in 2006. | Thailand has been in political turmoil since former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup in 2006. |
| The PAD - a loose alliance of royalists, businessmen and the urban middle class - claims that the government is corrupt and hostile to the monarchy. | The PAD - a loose alliance of royalists, businessmen and the urban middle class - claims that the government is corrupt and hostile to the monarchy. |
| They also accuse it of being a proxy for Mr Thaksin, who remains very popular among Thailand's rural poor. | They also accuse it of being a proxy for Mr Thaksin, who remains very popular among Thailand's rural poor. |
| Fresh elections at the end of 2007 failed to resolve the crisis, when a party made up of former allies of Mr Thaksin returned to power. | Fresh elections at the end of 2007 failed to resolve the crisis, when a party made up of former allies of Mr Thaksin returned to power. |
| Mr Somchai's predecessor as prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, was thrown out of office in September, after being found guilty of violating conflict of interest rules by appearing in a television cookery programme. | Mr Somchai's predecessor as prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, was thrown out of office in September, after being found guilty of violating conflict of interest rules by appearing in a television cookery programme. |
| Protesters occupied a central government complex for more than three months, only leaving on Monday to join the demonstrations at the airports. | Protesters occupied a central government complex for more than three months, only leaving on Monday to join the demonstrations at the airports. |
| Shortly after the constitutional court's ruling on Tuesday, the government announced it was postponing a summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, due for mid-December, until March. | Shortly after the constitutional court's ruling on Tuesday, the government announced it was postponing a summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, due for mid-December, until March. |