Thai court clears way for Thaksin to form govt

Thailand's Supreme Court has cleared the way for allies of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra to form a government. In so doing, it has rejected legal challenges to their victory in last month's polls. Thai court clears way for Thaksin to form govt The People Power Party (PPP), which campaigned as Thaksin's political successor, won general elections on December 23 but fell just shy of a majority of the 480 seats in parliament. The party's victory was threatened by cases at the Supreme Court as well as dozens of vote fraud investigations before the Election Commission. On Friday the court rejected the most important legal challenges, including a charge filed by a rival politician accusing the PPP of being an illegal front for Thaksin. After Thailand's military toppled Thaksin's government in September 2006, the deposed premier was barred from politics for five years and his once-dominant Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party disbanded. The court also rejected charges that the PPP broke election law by distributing CDs featuring videos of Thaksin, who has been living in exile since the coup. Shortly after the court ruling, the Election Commission announced that it had settled most of the vote fraud investigations and certified the wins of 460 of the 480 members of parliament. That means the lower house will have enough members for a quorum to convene next week. The PPP has already announced that it will unveil a six-party coalition government on Saturday, leaving the rival Democrat Party alone in the opposition. Surapong Suebwonglee, the PPP's secretary general, said he was relieved by the court's verdicts. "We appreciate that the Supreme Court has delivered justice to us. We were always optimistic that we would receive a fair trial," he said. Chaiwat Sinsuwong, the Democrat Party politician who filed the most important charges, said he would consult with his lawyers on further legal action. But the Democrat leadership has publicly repudiated his efforts, prompting him to resign from the party. The PPP still face several smaller legal challenges, but those are seen as minor hurdles to forming a government that is widely expected to welcome back Thaksin from self-imposed exile in Britain. The military already appears to be preparing for the PPP to take power, with Thai media reporting intense behind-the-scenes jockeying by the generals to secure their own men in the key positions of army chief and defence minister. "Obviously what the military are in the process of doing is protecting themselves" from any political retribution once Thaksin's allies are in power, said Thai historian and analyst Chris Baker. The military has already taken important steps to ensure its sway over the government. An army-backed constitution -- approved in a referendum last year -- substantially weakens the prime minister while empowering the military and the bureaucracy. The generals last month also pushed through a controversial security law that allows a military body, with cabinet approval, to suspend basic rights anywhere in the country at any time. Under the PPP's new coalition, some of the oldest and most controversial politicians in Thailand would take top positions in government. The most likely choice for prime minister would be PPP leader Samak Sundaravej, a 72-year-old right-winger linked to a horrific massacre of student protesters in 1976. He was also a deputy prime minister in May 1992 when troops again opened fire on pro-democracy protests against Thailand's last military government. He has always denied any wrongdoing and has led a successful political career, though he is still under investigation for corruption from his time as governor of Bangkok.

Thai court clears way for Thaksin to form govt

The People Power Party (PPP), which campaigned as Thaksin's political successor, won general elections on December 23 but fell just shy of a majority of the 480 seats in parliament.

The party's victory was threatened by cases at the Supreme Court as well as dozens of vote fraud investigations before the Election Commission.

On Friday the court rejected the most important legal challenges, including a charge filed by a rival politician accusing the PPP of being an illegal front for Thaksin.

After Thailand's military toppled Thaksin's government in September 2006, the deposed premier was barred from politics for five years and his once-dominant Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party disbanded.

The court also rejected charges that the PPP broke election law by distributing CDs featuring videos of Thaksin, who has been living in exile since the coup.

Shortly after the court ruling, the Election Commission announced that it had settled most of the vote fraud investigations and certified the wins of 460 of the 480 members of parliament.

That means the lower house will have enough members for a quorum to convene next week.

The PPP has already announced that it will unveil a six-party coalition government on Saturday, leaving the rival Democrat Party alone in the opposition.

Surapong Suebwonglee, the PPP's secretary general, said he was relieved by the court's verdicts.

"We appreciate that the Supreme Court has delivered justice to us. We were always optimistic that we would receive a fair trial," he said.

Chaiwat Sinsuwong, the Democrat Party politician who filed the most important charges, said he would consult with his lawyers on further legal action.

But the Democrat leadership has publicly repudiated his efforts, prompting him to resign from the party.

The PPP still face several smaller legal challenges, but those are seen as minor hurdles to forming a government that is widely expected to welcome back Thaksin from self-imposed exile in Britain.

The military already appears to be preparing for the PPP to take power, with Thai media reporting intense behind-the-scenes jockeying by the generals to secure their own men in the key positions of army chief and defence minister.

"Obviously what the military are in the process of doing is protecting themselves" from any political retribution once Thaksin's allies are in power, said Thai historian and analyst Chris Baker.

The military has already taken important steps to ensure its sway over the government.

An army-backed constitution -- approved in a referendum last year -- substantially weakens the prime minister while empowering the military and the bureaucracy.

The generals last month also pushed through a controversial security law that allows a military body, with cabinet approval, to suspend basic rights anywhere in the country at any time.

Under the PPP's new coalition, some of the oldest and most controversial politicians in Thailand would take top positions in government.

The most likely choice for prime minister would be PPP leader Samak Sundaravej, a 72-year-old right-winger linked to a horrific massacre of student protesters in 1976.

He was also a deputy prime minister in May 1992 when troops again opened fire on pro-democracy protests against Thailand's last military government.

He has always denied any wrongdoing and has led a successful political career, though he is still under investigation for corruption from his time as governor of Bangkok.