Bangkok - Thailand's Constitution Court on Tuesday dissolved the country's ruling People Power Party (PPP) and two of its coalition partners for vote-buying in the last election, effectively dismantling the current administration.
The verdict also banned scores of elected politicians of the three parties from politics for the next five years, putting an immediate end to the premiership of Somchai Wongsawat and most of his cabinet.
Deputy Prime Minister Chavarat Charnveerakul, a PPP member who was not a party executive and thus avoided the ban, has been appointed as acting prime minister.
The court verdict was rejected by hundreds of pro-government demonstrators who had gathered outside the court house to protest the controversial case, which was widely predicted to go against the PPP.
"We don't accept the verdict," said Paporn Boonkhan, a 46-year-old member of the pro-government Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD). "We will only accept democracy."
About 2,000 DAAD followers surrounded the court Tuesday morning in an effort to block its ruling but failed to do so.
The DAAD is a reverse image of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the anti-government protestors who have occupied Bangkok's two airports and stopped air traffic in their bid to oust the government.
The Constitution Court pushed through its verdict on the People Power Party, Chart Thai and Matchimathipataya parties, with unusual speed, giving rise to speculation that the judiciary was colluding with the PAD in attempting to set up the next government.
"The fact that the judgement was done very quickly suggests that it was only half of the scenario," said Chris Baker, an author of several books on Thai politics and recent history. "So we haven't seen the other half yet."
There are several possible game plans.
The remaining members of the People Power Party, which won about 230 out of 480 contested seats in the 2007 general election, are expected to shift to the Puea Thai party, which would hold enough seats to form a new coalition government with other smaller parties.
A parliament session will need to be held to elect a new prime minister within 15 days. If parliament fails to agree on a new premier the Constitution Court can step in to set up an interim government.
But that option is not likely to remove the PAD from Bangkok two airports, where they are causing incalculable damage to the economy.
"If there is another elected government the PAD will stay on at the airports for weeks or months," said Chaturon Chaisaeng, a senior former politician with close ties to the government parties. "I think the PAD and some academicians may try to petition the king to step in, or get the military to take over."
Thailand's much-revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej celebrates his 81st birthday on Friday, and is scheduled to deliver his annual speech to the nation on Thursday.
But there worries that the DAAD, or "red shirts," will reject any effort by the PAD and its yellow-clad supporters to establish a non-elected government in the coming days.
The PAD is a loose coalition of groups united only in their desire to prevent a political comeback by fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinwatara, a populist politician who dominated Thai politics during his two-term, 2001-06 premiership and now lives in self-exile.
The movement is known to have the support of members of Thailand's political elite, including leaders of the army, which toppled Thaksin with a coup in September 2006, which may explain why the police have been reluctant to use force to expel from from Bangkok's airports.
But the PAD has become a target of several attacks by unknown assailants. A grenade attack on PAD members at Don Mueang Airport early Tuesday left one protestor dead and 20 injured.
There are fears that the DAAD could unleash a full-scale attack on the PAD followers, which might play into the hands of the latter's chief nemesis, former premier Thaksin.
"The DAAD could go on it's own rampage, and then who will stop them? Only Thaksin," warned Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist from Chulalongkorn University.
Thaksin remains the central character in Thailand's unfolding political drama.
Although overthrown by a military coup in 2006, banned from politics by a court ruling in May 2007, and sentenced to two years in jail by a court in October, this year, Thaksin has vowed to make a political comeback.
"The PAD, ironically, is playing into Thaksin's hands," Thitinan said.
