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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Top Thai court bans ruling party | Top Thai court bans ruling party |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Thailand's constitutional court has dissolved the governing People Power Party and two of its coalition partners for fraud during the last election. | 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, were banned from politics for five years. | The parties' leaders, including Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, were banned from politics for five years. |
| But under the constitution, most MPs can keep their seats under another party name, and have promised to form another government. | |
| Earlier, an anti-government protester was killed at a Bangkok airport. | 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. | 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. |
| 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 of his brother-in-law, exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. | They also accuse Mr Somchai of being a proxy of his brother-in-law, exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. |
| Mr Somchai said he accepted the court's verdict. | |
| 'Political standard' | 'Political standard' |
| Earlier on Tuesday, a protest by hundreds of red-shirted 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 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. |
| On Monday, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said he would not resign | On Monday, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said he would not resign |
| 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. |
| Despite the presence of a large number of riot police, the protesters soon blocked all access to the building and vowed not to let the judges out. | Despite the presence of a large number of riot police, the protesters soon blocked all access to the building and vowed not to let the judges out. |
| 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. | |
| The BBC's Jonathan Head, outside the courthouse, says the court's ruling will provoke anger right throughout the heartland of the government's supporters in the north and north-east. | The BBC's Jonathan Head, outside the courthouse, says the court's ruling will provoke anger right throughout the heartland of the government's supporters in the north and north-east. |
| Shortly after the ruling, the government announced it was postponing a summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, due for mid-December, until March. | |