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WORLD NEWS Friday 8 March 2019

Thai court disbands political party for nominating princess

By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA vated. The leader of the
GRANT PECK ruling junta and prime min-
Associated Press ister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, is
BANGKOK (AP) — A court seeking to become prime
in Thailand on Thursday or- minister again after the
dered the dissolution of a election, though he is not
major political party ahead running for a seat in Parlia-
of this month’s general ment.
election because it nomi- One of the new laws
nated a member of the passed under military rule
royal family to be its candi- allows non-lawmakers to
date for prime minister. become prime minister in a
The Constitutional Court vote by the upper and low-
also banned members of er house. The upper house
the Thai Raksa Chart Party’s is entirely appointed by the
executive board from polit- ruling junta.
ical activity for 10 years. Ubolratana’s nomination
The ruling raised fresh ques- was initially thought of as a
tions about the fairness of clever move to by Thaksin
the upcoming election, the to outmaneuver the new
first since a military coup electoral rules. But when
toppled a democratically the king issued his state-
elected government in Leader of Thai Raksa Chart party Preechapol Pongpanich, center, leaves Thai Raksa Chart party ment, it quickly became
May 2014. to Constitutional Court in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, March 7, 2019. apparent it was a huge po-
Thai Raksa Chart on Feb. 8 Associated Press litical blunder.
nominated Princess Ubol- cribe ill intentions to the grounds that his support- ment last month, the Elec- The ruling leaves the main
ratana Mahidol as its candi- party’s actions, blaming it ers believe were slim and tion Commission disquali- pro-Thaksin party, Pheu
date in the March 24 polls. for endangering a tradi- politically motivated. Two fied Ubolratana’s nomina- Thai, in the race. But be-
Her brother, King Maha Va- tion that keeps the royal predecessor parties to his tion and forwarded to the cause of strategic coop-
jiralongkorn, later that day family above politics, even current main vehicle, Pheu court its recommendation eration by the pro-Thaksin
issued a royal order calling though Ubolratana em- Thai, were dissolved in 2007 that the party be dissolved parties not to split the vote
the nomination highly inap- braced the nomination en- and 2008. because its candidate was in many constituencies, the
propriate and unconstitu- thusiastically on her popu- Thai Raksa Chart leader “in conflict with the system overall prospects of Thak-
tional. lar Instagram account. Preechapol Pongpanit of rule of democracy with sin’s forces will be hurt.
Thai Raksa Chart is aligned As legal justification for the avowed his group’s loyalty king as head of state.” In an analysis made ahead
with former Prime Minister nomination, the party had to the king and the monar- Ubolratana’s nomination of the ruling, Prajak Kongki-
Thaksin Shinawatra, whose pointed out that she held chy after Thursday’s ruling. was a stunning move, not rati, who teaches political
allied parties have won ev- no formal royal titles be- “I and the party’s execu- only because it would have science at Thammasat Uni-
ery national election since cause they were rescinded tives have the utmost re- broken a taboo on a senior versity, predicted that dis-
2001 but have twice been when she married a for- gret over the party’s dis- member of the royal fam- solution would weaken the
toppled in coups. eigner, an American, in solution, which affects the ily running for public office, Thaksin side significantly.
The latest election is being 1972. fundamental political rights but also because it would “The chance of Thaksin’s
held under rules that are The nine-judge panel and freedom of the party have allied her with a party side winning the election
generally acknowledged spurned such reasoning, members and the people,” considered by many royal- and forming the govern-
as making it hard for pro- following instead the king’s he said. ists to be unsympathetic to ment is still possible,” Pra-
Thaksin parties to win a ma- line of argument that “Even Thanking their supporters, the monarchy. The army jkak said. “But, if the party
jority, and the dissolution of though she relinquished her he added that “For me cited Thaksin’s alleged dis- is dissolved, the chance will
Thai Raksa Chart will make title according to royal laws and the party executives, respect for the monarchy be slim.”
it all the more difficult. ... she still retains her status no matter what our status as one of its reasons for However, there is also
The Constitutional Court is and position as a member is, we will act for the benefit ousting him in 2006. speculation that Thai Raksa
one of the most conserva- of the Chakri dynasty.” of the country.” Thaksin’s populist policies Chart supporters may be
tive institutions in Thailand The court voted unani- Ubolratana gave a brief delivered unmatchable energized by the percep-
and has consistently ruled mously to dissolve the par- reaction Thursday evening electoral majorities, but he tion their side is being vic-
against Thaksin and his al- ty, and by a vote of 6-3 for to the dissolution, respond- was resented by the tradi- timized again by the anti-
lies. the political ban on its ex- ing “So I have heard. It’s tional ruling class, including Thaksin establishment, and
Its statement explaining ecutive members. sad and depressing,” to a royalists and the military. they may offer important
Thursday’s ruling was even Thursday’s ruling was the comment on her Instagram Thaksin went in exile in 2008 support for parties with a
more critical of the party’s third time a court has dis- account noting the court to avoid serving jail time on similar anti-military stance,
action than the king had solved a political party as- action. a corruption conviction he even if they are not pro-
been. It appeared to as- sociated with Thaksin on Soon after the king’s state- insists was politically moti- Thaksin.q