Thailand's governing People Power Party has been banned after being found guilty of electoral fraud. The Constitutional Court has ordered the party to disband and has barred Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and his associates from politics for a period of five years. They were found guilty of tampering with the results of the general elections in 2007. Mr Somchai has accepted the verdict, saying that he is now an ordinary citizen. Following his resignation, Deputy Prime Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul has taken over as caretaker.
 Thailand's former Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat |
Clearing blockades
Municipal workers in Bangkok have begun dismantling blockades that were built by angry opposition supporters around the country's central government buildings. The oppostion ended its three-month occupation of the government buildings after the constitutional court verdict was announced.
Over the past week, anti-government demonstrators have been occupying two major airports outside Bangkok, demanding the departure of Mr Somchai. They say that he is a pawn of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin, who they are accusing of harbouring anti-monarchy sentiments and planning to oust King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Mr Thaksin enjoys considerable popularity among the poor, particularly in his native northern Thailand. He happens to be a brother-in-law to the disgraced Mr Somchai.
Airport siege to end on Wednesday
The opposition siege of the airports continued for a time, but at a press conference on Tuesday evening a leader of the protesters said that all protests would stop at 10 AM local time on Wednesday. Meanwhile, thousands of tourists who had been stranded are beginning to leave via a naval base near Bangkok and from the town of Phuket. While the blockades of the airports prevent passenger flights, Thailand's airport authority has given the go-ahead for cargo flights from Suvarnabhumi airport to resume.
Before the court hearing over the fraud case, a grenade was fired at the anti-government protesters near Bangkok's Don Mueang airport, killing one of them and injuring 22 others.
Tags: Bangkok, Phuket, Somchai Wongsawat, Thailand